Melissa Dunphy

Other Arrangements

SATB choir, piano

Commissioned by the Montgomery County Chorale and Orchestra, Lansdale, PA, through the Michael Kemp Fund for New Music for their Festival of Carols Concert, December 6 and 7, 2025
David J. Fitzpatrick, Artistic Director and Conductor.

Inspired by the 21st-century American need for collective awakening and action. A boisterous, secular reframing of Phillip Nicolai's Wachet auf text, with a nod to J.S. Bach and plenty of finale energy.

Instrumentation

2*222-4331-timp+perc(2)-hp-org-str

Text

Wake Up
By Melissa Dunphy, after Philipp Nicolai

"Wake up! Behold the dayspring,"
the watchers on the ramparts sing.
"Wake up, you shining city on a hill!"
As the midnight darkness gives way,
they call on us to greet the coming day:
"Where are you, O wise citizens? Awake!"
Rise up, prepare your voice!
Come light your lamps! Rejoice!
Hallelujah!
Shake off the slumber from your eyes!
Get up, stand up, O citizens, arise!
Wake up!

Artwork by Melissa Dunphy.

Performances

• 06 Dec, 2025 - 07 Dec, 2025: Montgomery County Chorale & Orchestra at Trinity Lutheran Church, Lansdale, PA