I've recently completed a new cantata, The Law of the Tongue, with libretto by award-winning author James Roy.
The work is based on the remarkable relationship between shore-based whalers and killer whales on the far south coast of New South Wales throughout the 1800s and early 1900s. It's a story I found out about through a visit to the Eden Killer Whale Museum a few years ago and it struck me as both completely captivating and ideally-suited for a dramatic choral retelling.
The Law of the Tongue is a fifty minute work in two acts, for SSATBB choir and piano with soprano, tenor and baritone soloists. Free perusal scores are available for all interested choral directors.
The ocean near Eden, NSW, setting for The Law of the Tongue. image (c) James Roy 2012