Developing ecocide law.

 

The free choir concert package includes: 

  • 15 songs by composers from different cultures

  • Scores in three different choral forms 

  • Rehearsal audio tracks for each part 

  • Access to the ChoirMate app 

  • Interactive rehearsal process guidelines

  • Concert production ideas and proposals

  • Stage design script , storyline

  • Media tools (flyer frames, pictures etc)

What is choirs for Ecocide Law?

Choirs for Ecocide Law is an artistic choral project, whose main purpose is to spread awareness about the need to make large-scale environmental destruction (ecocide) an international crime.       

Choirs for Ecocide Law provides a sixty minute concert program, “Let us change the rules!”, ready to be rehearsed and performed by your choir – for free. The scores package includes popular music made by composers from different cultures, along with guidelines for an interactive rehearsal process, and with a script for bringing the concert storyline to stage.

  • The style of the music could be described as the composer’s own style with a popular music twist. Read more about the composers and songs.

    All the lyrics are written in English, except Eanan Eadni, but you may find translations in our material bank, or add your translation there.

    Use the score version for each song that you prefer. Please keep in mind that this concert program can be made by several choirs joining forces to perform the concert together.

    Many of the songs in this program can be performed a cappella but all the songs also have a piano accompaniment.

    ———

    CHOIRS FOR ECOCIDE LAW - CONCERT PROGRAM AND STORYLINE CUE WORDS

    Eanan Eadni — Simon Issát Marainen
    “Protect, preserve Mother Earth”
    A Yoik composed for us, indigenous wisdom.

    Creation — Kevin Fox / Astrid Vang Pedersen
    “Water, fire, earth and air, a combination so very rare,
this planet, all alone, you let us call you Home”
    How was this mystery called Planet Earth born?

    Song of Desperation — Genevieve Andersen / Merzi Rajala
    “I see fire on the mountain, you better run, you better run, you better run.
And now it´s freezing down in Texas, they´re saying the end of the world has begun.”
    Ecological current crisis in USA, problems of global warming, oil spills,
tar sand.

    The Rules — Chris Hutchings
    “All the rules say, that it doesn´t really matter if the last tree dyes,
all the rules say, it´s ok to poison rivers if your profits rise.”
    The current laws and international law allow nature destruction.

    Blue Sky, Chemical Dye — Moira Smiley / Merzi Rajala
    “Your water´s blue from the blue sky, my water´s blue from the 
chemical dye. You get jeans made cheap in China, I got poison in my eye.”
    Our actions have an effect on each other all the way to the other side of the planet.

    We Used To Know — Astrid Vang Pedersen
    “I am standing in a line in front of those who came before me.
All who walked the path of life and left it for me, they used to know.”
    The generations before us had the skills to live in harmony with the planet. When and how did this knowledge disappear?

    A Scientist’s Speech on Biodiversity Loss — Merzi Rajala / Federico Trindade / Panu Halme
    “We need to change everything and, at the same time, almost nothing.
With everything I mean that we have to change our priority lists, and values.”
    A real speech from a real researcher.

    It’s Not Your Business — Federico Trindade / Merzi Rajala, Niilo Suhonen
    “It’s not your business what I do, I choose my way and lifestyle too,
I have my bills, I have to work, these are the facts, so back off jerk!”
    Three different angry voices, answering to the researchers speech.

    I Wanna See You Free — Simone Tandberg / Vocal Ensemble Dopplers
    “If you wanna free the world and change the way, people disappoint,
destroy and damage ev´ry present day, who will lead the way and tell us what´s wrong and right, there´s so many out there who give up without a fight.
    I want the planet to set me free, how do we find the answer?

    Hope — Merzi Rajala / Tessa Virta / Emily Dickinson
    ”Hope is the thing with feathers that perches in the souls, and sings the tune without the words, and never stops at all.”
    We need to feel hopeful in order to start the actions.

    Questions — Kevin Fox / the performing choir
    Questions and thoughts collected from the audience and choir
connected to the theme, performed by the choir and improvising singers (optional).

    The Oak and the Lark — Kevin Fox / Edward Randell
    “The tree replied: if you wanna see me again, you must choose the harder path, for the other is a smooth ride to nowhere”
    Asking and getting advice from the Oak and the Lark, what to do?

    The Rules, reprise: the New Law — Chris Hutchings
    “And we know it´s not too late, every nation, every state can change the rules”
    Presenting the ecocide law proposal, law text.

    Ask Not — Peder Karlsson
    ”Ask not what a river can do for you. Ask what you can do for the river.
Ask not what the planet can do for you. Ask what you can do for the planet.”
    Encouraging to make a right choice.

    Come Over — Moira Smiley
    “Take my hand, we will be stronger for it. We´re gonna lift us, each other.
We´re gonna lift us out of the troubles for a while”
    The ending song of the concert, an invitation to join, to make things happen together, to support each other.

You can look at the score excerpts and listen to audio examples of the material, to determine style and difficulty levels.

All the songs are arranged in three forms: 

  • Melody, lyrics and chords (one singer or unisono singing) 

  • Upper voices choir

  • Mixed choir

 

  • After you have signed the participation agreement, you will get the link to start the ChoirMate signup process.

    Or, if you prefer, you can also download all files yourself, directly from our materials bank.

We recommend ChoirMate for easy access to scores, rehearsal files and other project information,  organised in an easy way for all the members of your choir to fine.

Use of the app for the purposes of Choirs for Ecocide Law is free of charge.

 

  • The concert program has been carefully made, with a storyline and a set order of the songs which we expect you to follow.

    However, the material is flexible, and has been arranged in three different forms to accomodate adjustments, difficulty levels as well as fitting as many types of groups as possible.

    In your concert there could be, for example: several different choirs, a soloist guest, soloists from the participating choirs, a vocal group for a whole song or for a more demanding part of a song. By having different choirs on stage you create a strong sense of community and togetherness.

    Please feel free to use our concert design guidelines for inspiration.

    Adapt the concert according to your unique qualities, add local specialities and let your creativity shine!

You may choose to perform the whole concert with your own choir only, soloists from within the choir, or you could even join your forces with other singers and choirs in your community.

 

  • We recommend that you dedicate time not only to learn the concert repertoire, but also to engage in the broader discussion surrounding ecocide law.

    Experience has shown that participating in this concert is meaningful for the participants and is a source of empowerment.

    It is important to know the content and why a new international crime of ecocide would be so powerful for our planet.

    Feel free to read our rehearsal guidelines for concrete tips about this.

The purpose of this concert is to raise awareness of the movement for and the impact of a new international crime of ecocide, both for singers and their audience.

 

  • This project serves the purpose of raising awareness for Ecocide Law as an effective tool for a global transition to sustainability.

    By participating, you make a difference for a very important cause.

To join Choirs for Ecocide Law, please read the participation agreement below, fill out the form and you will be redirected to a page containing all materials and granted access to the ChoirMate app for free.

  • The Choirs for Ecocide Law project started with a vision to raise awareness of this powerful proposal to change the law; to let people know about it and to start taking actions to urge decision-makers in the governments of UN countries to vote yes to criminalize ECOCIDE internationally.

    As our professional skills are within vocal music, and our instrument is people who sing, we decided that our action to make things happen would be to provide songs for that instrument.

    We acknowledge the need of people to act and to do something for the planet. Choirs for Ecocide Law offers a tool for singers to express this need through their own choir, by being connected to each other and to act in their own community.

Our work is done as a donation to Mother Earth. Let us now pass the torch to you.
We wish you an inspirational journey wherever you go and sing.

Kirsi Kaunismäki-Suhonen

Project executive
Choir conductor, musician, arranger, Director of School in Culture Services and Music, Metropolia University of Applied Sciences Helsink Finland, Integrative Coach.

Merzi Rajala

Artistic director
Choir conductor, musician, arranger, Global Music lecturer at Sibelius Academy, Finland.

Peder Karlsson

Project executive
Singer, composer, arranger, Ecocide Law educator, founding member of The Real Group, honorary professor at Royal Academy of Music in Aalborg, Denmark.

 

Want to know more?

Our program book contains extensive information about the concert and you can also get to know our composers, their songs, and their reasons for participation.

Contact us:

Reach out for more information or with any questions or suggestions: kirsi@choirsforecocidelaw.earth.

We are also happy to invite you to a webinar for conductors and to help connect you and your choir with local Stop Ecocide International team members.

 

Follow us on social media:

 

Tarja Halonen, Former President of Finland, Protector of Choirs for Ecocide Law

“The Choirs for Ecocide Law project was initiated by a group of musicians who say: ask not what your planet can do for you. Ask what you can do for your planet.

The world is fast approaching tipping points of climate change. Biodiversity is declining at an unprecedented rate. The impacts of ecological crisis are increasingly felt everywhere around the world.  With firm action, we can still ensure survival and enable sustainable development. It is urgent to push action to cut emissions and to enhance healthy ecosystems and thriving biodiversity. 

Singing together is an empowering tool for positive change. We are one people with many voices living on one planet - one Earth. Welcome to spread the awareness of Ecocide Law. 

Let's sing together for the wellbeing of people and planet. The right time to act is now.”

Participation agreement

To join Choirs for Ecocide Law,, read the participation agreement and fill out the form below. After submission, you will be redirected to a page containing all materials and granted access to the ChoirMate app for free.