Alex Gartner

Brighten the Corner Where You Are

SSA with Piano

MusicSpoke - Click Here

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This piece encourages both singer and listener to seek not the brightly lit stages, but tiny personal spaces where one can be a light to others, where small deeds (as opposed to bold gestures) make an enduring impact. The light-hearted text and its accompanying setting are perfect for elementary and middle school-aged voices.

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Need Somebody

SSA with Piano (also available in SA[T]B)

MusicSpoke - Click Here

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Based on an original song by Eddie Robertson, an incarcerated person in the State of Ohio, this song speaks to the resilience and healing power of genuine connection. With clear gospel influence, the song is a balm for those reaching out for help and a poignant reminder that we must be sensitive and open to the needs of the people closest to us.

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​The Persistence of Song

SSA with Piano

MusicSpoke - Click Here

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Featuring a text by Howard Moss, former poet of the New Yorker magazine, this piece echoes the constancy of music under every rock, in every crevice, and in the very corners of our lives. It was written during a break in the COVID-19 pandemice where singing was emerging in public spaces once more. Even with darkened stages and canceled concerts, this piece is a celebratory reminder that singing could never really vanish for good.

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Toward Something New (unpublished)

SSA with Piano

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Toward Something New is a musical triptych on memory loss and its potential to unearth beauty on not what has been lost, but what can be found by defining new relationships between elders and caregivers and exploring art as a means of communication. Approximately 10 minutes in length, the piece was commissioned and inspired by TimeSlips, a creative aging agency that focuses specifically on memory loss.

Click here to Learn More about the piece and View the Score.

Click here to Listen.

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Therefore I Will Hope

SSA with Piano

Santa Barbara Music Publishing - SBMP 1629

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Commissioned by the Harmony Fund of the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, the piece honors victims of gun violence. It was specifically inspired by a mass shooting at Naval Air Station Pensacola in December 2019, which was shortly followed by a school shooting in the Greater Cincinnati area, an event that impacted many members of the Cincinnati Youth Choir, for whom this piece was written. Since its publication, it has also become an anthem for the pandemic experience, especially for its general feeling of stasis and helplessness, as well as cautious hope for a better future.

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Your Heart Is My Heart

SSA with Piano (also available in SATB)

Santa Barbara Music Publishing - SBMP 1455

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This piece features lyrics by Sandra Thornton, a breast cancer survivor. Her words came to life in a social media post announcing her diagnosis to her community of friends and family. This piece is an enduring homage to Sandy's resilience and courage, and it continues to inspire and provide hope and healing for many who have been impacted by breast cancer across the world.

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Click here to view a special performance by Olympia High School (Orlando, FL; J. Christine Le, director)

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Bound for Glory

2-part/SSA with Piano

Alfred Music Publishing - #43413

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This piece is a simple partner song featuring the tunes "When the Saints Go Marching In" and "This Train Is Bound for Glory." It builds momentum as keys change and energy builds. This piece can be performed in 2 or 3 parts.

Click here to hear a performance by the Pensacola Children's Chorus.

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Tuli Tuli

SSA with djembe (also available in SAB)

Santa Barbara Music Publishing - SBMP 1379

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This upbeat song from Kenya was shared with the composer by the Nairobi Girls Chorale. The text has no particular meaning, but the song is meant to evoke joy and thankfulness for the many blessings of life.

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Click here to hear a performance by the Allegro Choirs of Kansas City (Kansas City, MO; Christy Elsner, director)

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Hakuna mungu kama wewe

SSA with djembe

Santa Barbara Music Publishing - SBMP 1388

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This spirited arrangement of this well known Swahili text was shared with the composer by the Nairobi Girls Chorale of Nairobi, Kenya.

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Nishike mkono bwana

SSA a cappella

Santa Barbara Music Publishing - SBMP 1380

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This piece was irresponsibly attributed to Mr. Gartner for his arrangement of a song shared by the Nairobi Girls Chorale. The true author is Humphrey Kisia, and directors are strongly encouraged to attribute his authorship as such. For further questions or copyright information, please contact Santa Barbara Music Publishing directly.