UMS in the Classroom: Tenebrae: Joby Talbot’s Path of Miracles

By UMS

Interested in using a UMS performance in your university classroom? For each performance on the season, we provide suggested curricular connections, links to contextual material online, citations for scholarly material, and prompts for classroom discussion. For additional resources and individualized curricular support, please contact Shannon Fitzsimons Moen, UMS Campus Engagement Specialist, at skfitz@umich.edu or (734) 764-3903.

UMS is also committed to making our performances an affordable part of the academic experience. Our Classroom Ticket Program provides $15 tickets to students and faculty for performances that are a course requirement. Please email umsclasstickets@umich.edu to set up a group order.

Connect:

This performance may connect meaningfully with courses in the following schools and disciplines:

• Anthropology
• Comparative Literature
• Classical Studies
• Germanic Languages and Literatures
• English Language and Literature
• History
• History of Art
• Philosophy
• Psychology
• Romance Languages and Literatures
• Sociology
• Music Education
• Musicology
• Music Theory
• Composition
• Voice

Explore:

• Listen to this podcast interview with Tenebrae artistic director Nigel Short, and watch this video of the group performing at a cathedral in Lausanne, Switzerland.
• Read an interview with composer Jody Talbot about the inspirations behind Path of Miracles. Watch a video interview with Talbot about his work scoring films, including the recent animated feature Sing.
• Explore the history of music for large ensembles in Homer Ulrich’s A Survey of Choral Music (Schirmer, 1973).

Reflect:

•  This a cappella work is composed in 17 individual voice parts, is based on elements of Roman Catholic tradition, incorporates musical styles from the Taiwanese Bunun people, and is sung in Greek, Latin, Spanish, Basque, French, English, and German. How does this combination of influences speak to the overall message of the piece?
• Describe the vocal and compositional effects Talbot uses to convey the image of a “musical pilgrimage” throughout his composition.