About the Song

"Dr. Robertson wrote In Meeting We Are Blessed in 2014 for combined performances by the Festival Singers of Florida and the Nairobi Chamber Chorus in Nairobi, Kenya. The text of the piece was written by R. Gatsnahos and inspired by the work of English author John Donne (1572-1631). In speaking with Dr. Robertson, he said “..the text [is] loosely based on “Soul’s Joy” by John Donne…” The influence of Donne’s poem can be seen in the parallels between it and the text by R. Gatsnahos:

Since I must leave myself with thee, And carry thee with me -...This wonder to the vulgar prove, Our bodies, not we move. - John Donne, “Soul’s Joy” (1609)

You’re not alone and you never more will be, I will be with you and I will carry you with me…Surely we will prove it’s not ourselves, but our bodies that move. - R. Gatsnahos, “In Meeting We Are Blessed” (2014)

When writing the piece, after selecting the text, Dr. Robertson said that “[he had] no particular expertise in Kenyan music, but felt the pop rhythm would be well suited to the style of the melody.” His setting captures two things: celebration and tender assurance. The legato melody presented by the basses and tenors is made more celebratory and lively by the syncopated entrances in the soprano and alto voices (mm.3-14). In keeping with the celebratory feel, the loud dynamic on “you’re not alone…” starts at mm. 38-39 and also gives the audience, and the performers, the piece's first tender assurance. Robertson achieves this feeling of togetherness by pairing up the voice parts - basses and sopranos, and tenors and altos - and having them weave in and out of one another (i.e. mm. 45-47). Moreover, there is a sense of “baton passing” or “hand holding” in this section as one pair of voices begins a phrase as the other pair finishes a phrase (i.e. their friendship is enduring - ongoing)."

Source: https://mosaic.messiah.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1133&context=conduct_st (pages 3 & 4, accessed 26 August 2025)

About the Composer

http://www.troydrobertson.com/about

• We will not be following the hand gestures as in the demo video.

• Internalize and feel the beat and rhythm in your body as you sing.

• ms. 7, all breathe during the rest

• ms. 9, all observe the comma, no breath

• ms. 11, all breathe during the rest

• ms. 13-14, SA only, observe comma, don't breath

• ms. 15, all, breathe

• ms. 17, all, observe the comma, no breath

• ms. 20, TB only, no breath after "rest"

• ms. 22, TB only, breath before "hold"

• ms.. 23, all, plan for fermata on this note, watch for cut off/tempo

• ms. 24, all, breathe during the rest

• ms.. 24-29, all, watch for ritardandos, slower tempi

• ms. 29, SB only, hold fermata until cutoff

• ms. 29, AT only, watch for tempo of beats 1 & 2, hold fermata until cutoff

• ms. 29, all voices will be cut off at the same time after AT reach beat two, please look up and watch for the cutoff

• ms. 30-37, all voices use the same notes from the beginning of the song regarding breaths and commas

• ms. 38-43, S only, divisi equal number of singers on each part

• ms. 39, SA only, no breath

• ms. 41, all breathe during the rest

• ms. 42, all, no breath

• ms. 47, SB, breathe at the end of the measure

• ms. 51, all, breathe after beat 2

• ms. 53, all breathe during the rest

• ms. 54-61, all voices use the same notes from the beginning of the song regarding breaths and commas

• ms. 62-65, T only, divisi, Soren T1, Larry T2

• ms 63-67, S only, divisi as in ms. 38-43

• ms. 66-end, all, tempo will slow down considerably, watch for fermatas, entrances, cutoffs, etc.

• ms. 67 & 71, fermatas as marked, please watch for tempi and cutoffs