The Power of Peace, Purpose and Love through Music and Singing

I Am Peace, I Am Purpose, I Am Power … I Am Light … I Am a Voice that Sings.

Always selective about the pieces of music performed by the choral groups she leads, Shoshana Hershkowitz kicked off December's concert sharing that this year's Stony Brook Chorale repertoire was all about finding a sense of identity in a difficult world, with the theme "I am."

"In a time where too many are seeing their history and identity erased," she said, "it's powerful to stand in and celebrate your own sense of self."

Speaking particularly of the song I Am Light, Hershkowitz explained that, "It speaks to coming to grips with who we are as people - realizing that we are more than our worst moments, we are more than our past. And that we each show up in the world with something to offer. We have a lot of discussions in our classrooms about what the music means to us. And part of what we talked about is how do we show up as light in this world. What are the ways we bring light into the spaces we inhabit? And there were some amazing answers out of this."

Hershkowitz also spoke more broadly about the power of music, and singing, to heal and unite. And the fact that the SBU Chorale - made up of students, faculty and staff, and community members - was a special example of welcoming everyoneto join in.

"What I love about this ensemble," she said, "is that you can walk in the door even if you've never sung before. Even if you don't read music. There is no barrier to entry."

"We talk a lot about diversity, equity and inclusion," she added. "There also needs to be a sense of access and belonging. We cannot gatekeep music. And something that is really important to me is that we have a multi-generational choir of people here. There's room for every single one of us. We've built a community."

Following the Chorale's performance, the Camerata Singers took the stage - this is the smaller group of students who audition to take part. Hershkowitz is director for both groups and shared that this year's Camerata program was themed around "a reflection on day and night, and how we connect our emotions and experiences of solitude, death, love and spirituality to the heavens." The program included pieces shaped around Walt Whitman's Civil War poetry, parents' lullabies to their "celestial children" and hopeful songs about the afterlife.

Several students shared what the pieces meant to them, including feeling hope for the future in today's conflicted world, perspective about pain and suffering, and even optimism in the face of death and loss.

One student, Christopher Yang '26, has been with the Camerata Singers since his freshman year and talked about what the group and Hershkowitz mean to him.

"These three past years, so much has changed, but one thing has stayed the same for me," he said. "Returning to the Staller Music Building on Wednesday nights to practice our music. Shoshana has treated this choir with so much passion and care, with all her songs picked out to instill hope, strength and love, and spread joy upon chaotic times. And I can tell you that she sees us not [just as] talented singers, but as hope for the future, as the next generation going out into the world. She uses her music to make so much change in the world, and I cannot say for others, but I can say for me that being able to sing about hope and love as the world feels dark and cold is something that I am truly thankful for. She treats us like her 'celestial children'."

For her part, Hershkowitz shared, as she so often does to both the choral groups and concert audiences, "I've just gotta tell you I'm the luckiest person on earth. I get to be with these brilliant, beautiful humans on Monday and Wednesday nights, and they really do feed my soul."

She added, "So if you don't sing, you should start. It is such a balm for the soul in difficult times, and I leave every Monday and Wednesday night a lot more hopeful and a lot lighter. And I have a lot more faith in the world 'cause I work with these fine people. So the future is truly bright …"

Chorale community member Karen Berry introduced the piece in the above video, saying, "I would like to dedicate this song to those who are going through difficult times. Perhaps you can adapt the phrase 'I am power' to help you keep going. I urge you to keep going and keep on keeping on. This song is for everyone. 'I Am Power'."

View the full concert below:

- Ellen Cooke