Music of the American Spirit

John Gibson's choral work "Mockingbird Sings" utilizes Native American texts of the Yuma Zuni, Laguna, and Apache tribes. The title refers to the individual charged with remembering events and traditions and his recounting of this oral history in songs and stories.  In this interview, Gibson explains his approach to setting these unusual texts to music and factors that distinguish American music from its European roots. The Arts District Chorale performs "Mockingbird Sings." Works Discussed:  John Gibson's "Mockingbird Sings"