Album Notes

We Declare! is an instrumental soundtrack for songs, chants, dances, and multi-media projects based on the text of the document, "Towards a Global Ethic: An Initial Declaration". This Declaration was written by Dr. Professor Hans Kung (for more info, http://www.weltethos.org) for the Council for a Parliament of the Word's Religions' conference in Chicago 1993. (for more info, http://www.cpwr.org)

I composed these pieces with the intention of bringing these ideas (what all world religions hold in common as agreements) to an accessible level of cultural expression. The pieces were performed at the CPWR conference in Capetown, South Africa in 1999, and the works were commended as "Gifts of Service to the World". The pieces work well as performances in school assemblies, community inter-cultural gatherings, and some have often been featured at events hosted by interfaith groups. Parents and teachers find this material ideal for teaching universal values. Activities directors and event planners for corporations will find these pieces both entertaining and culturally vitalizing.

This instrumental CD features the Spiralingua Ensemble: Merrill Collins, keyboards and bells; Pope Flynne, African Drums; Chris Ray Collins, dijiri-do; drums; Jeff Dunn, marimba; Joseph Hebert, cello; and Charles Moselle, shakahachi and bansuri flutes.

The project manual for We Declare! is available through Spiraling Music (http://spiralingmusic.com/books.html) as an e-book or hard-copy. This colorful book, illustrated with photographs by Yvon Chausseblanche of world percussion instruments contains notes about world sounds as well as full instructions for the projects, lyrics, scores, and educational materials designed for all age groups.