Choirs Against Racism

The music on this page is free to campaign against racism and other forms of hatred – use it for working against prejudice and bigotry wherever you can, e.g. fundraisers for anti-racist causes, helping refugees, making political statements. If you are using it as concert music, please make a donation to one of the suggested causes in lieu of payment.

Please publicise performances or rehearsals with the hashtag #choirsagainstracism, and let me know about them if you can, by email (hutchingsmusic@hotmail.com) or via Twitter @hutchingsmusic.

For recent news and updates, click here.

If you are using this music, please make a donation to a charity for refugees if you can: there is a list of suggested organisations here.

Music to download

Welcome Carol – for unison voices and piano (or guitar)

These Are Our Neighbours – for 4 equal voice parts plus stamping and clapping – intended to be simple enough to teach to singers at a protest. Inspired by the Kenmure Street Protest of 13th May 2021.

Harbour – for 3-part choir (soprano, alto, bass). Words and music by Anna Tabbush. Practice tracks are available from the composer (see email address on the score).

Only When It’s Dark Enough – a 3-part canon (any voices) by Jake Alexander, setting Martin Luther King’s words “only when it’s dark enough can you see the stars”. Score and video here, with several other free rounds/canons for choir, including “One touch of nature” (makes the whole world kin), which would also fit with anti-racism work.

Immigrant Jesus for SATB choir (optional piano/organ accompaniment). Music by Kathyrn Rose, words by Gary Alderson.

The Wall – for flexible 2-part choir

THEY – for SA and piano. Moderate difficulty. Music by Alison Willis.

No Man Is An Island – for 3-part choir, SSA, SABar or TBarB. Easy to moderate difficulty. Words by John Donne.

Where Are My Unnumbered Days? – for SATB choir with some divisi. Moderate difficulty, several rapid key changes. The words are by Mohamed Assaf, a Syrian refugee who now lives in England, written when he was just 12. This piece has won two international awards and has now been added to Project:ENCORE.

Of Equality… – available for Treble Voices (5 parts), SSA, or SATB, with piano and optional flute and/or cello. Music by Jessica Rudman, words by Walt Whitman. Two related works for soprano solo are also available on the same page.

I Was Listening To A Pogrom – for unison voices, piano, and optional speaking voices. Moderate difficulty. Words by Michael Rosen, former Children’s Poet Laureate.

Three Memories of Kurdistan – for 8-part choir, SSSSAAAA or SSAATTBB (piano reduction available). Challenging. Words by Aine McAllister, based on the memories that Kurdish refugees shared with her as she taught them English. Performed by the BBC Singers and several other choirs. Three separate movements (can be performed together or individually): The Beach, In Springtime and My Father.

Creating new music for #choirsagainstracism

If you would like to contribute music or lyrics to this project, please contact me directly: hutchingsmusic@hotmail.com .

You can commission a new vocal or instrumental piece from me in return for a donation – Jen Wang has organised a fundraising campaign where you can commission an instrumental miniature (choice of several composers) by donating $100 to RAICES Texas, who work to reunite refugee and asylum seeker families separated by US custody. I would also be happy to write short commissions for anyone who can give a similar donation to other refugee causes – email me to discuss.