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From clapping to citywide singalongs, New Yorkers are looking to connect with one another and honor essential workers in new ways. On Wednesday, another concept will launch during the #ClapBecauseWeCare round of applause—a citywide performance of a new song composed by Frank London of The Klezmatics and Hajnal Pivnick and Dorian Wallace of Tenth Intervention.
Beginning at 7pm during the nightly clapping and pot banging, New Yorkers with instruments are asked to join in on playing their song, "For Our Courageous Workers."
The score, which has been arranged so that everyone can join in, has parts for all—musicians of any and every level, from voice to strings, and from brass to keyboards and drums. Even the musically challenged can take part by singing and banging on pots and pans.
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The song is broken up by minutes:
7pm — everyone cheers, claps and bangs on pots. Wind players play the notes of a concert Bb major chord (Bb-D-F) triumphantly; string players play open A and D strings; low instruments play a low concert Bb; keyboard players arpeggiate Bb major 7 chord as fast as possible (Bb-D-F-A); and percussion and drums do cymbals rolls (no drums).
7:03pm — everyone reflects: breathe, listen, and reflect; wind and strings play long notes in concert D natural minor scale (D-E-F-G-A-Bb-C-D); low instruments, pulse slowly on D and A; keyboard players, slowly play D natural minor chords and scales (D-E-F-G-A-Bb-C-D); percussion and drums, play slowly, no cymbals.
Quarter note pulse is 60 bpm.
7:06pm — "Catharsis": Play anything for a "full-blown glorious, jubilant, ecstatic, cacophonic, sonic catharsis."
7:09pm — "Gratitude": Everyone sing "Ah" on any note of your choice; instruments, play concert Bb in unison until 7:11.
Frank London, Hajnal Pivnick and Dorian Wallace wanted to bring a communal music project to honor the efforts of those risking their own health for the benefit of all, according to organizers, which also include The Brooklyn Conservatory of Music, Make Music New York and HONK NYC.
If you post yourselves playing, they ask that you tag your post with please use the hashtag #playbecausewecare, a nod to the nightly #ClapBecauseWeCare round of applause. You can find the printable score here.
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