Strong Stand We At Last by Olga Amelkina-Vera (guitar duo version)

"Strong Stand We At Last" was commissioned in 2020 by St. Louis Classical Guitar as part of its 2020 Women’s Suffrage Centennial Composition Commission project, through which SLCG commissioned works for guitar ensemble from three women composers with the generous support of the National Endowment for the Arts. The title of the work is a quote from Cicely Hamilton’s text for "The March of the Women" by composer Dame Ethel Smyth, which became one of the most widely known anthems of the international women’s suffrage movement in the early 20th century. The melody of the opening 4 bars of “The March” is quoted in my composition in the beginning and at rehearsal F; it serves as a starting point and inspiration for the rest of the work. The corresponding text is as follows: Strong, strong stand we at last, Fearless in faith and with sight new given. I think of this composition as addressing not only women’s fight for their voting rights but more broadly, in the context of our continuing fight for full equality and humanity for women all over the world. The struggle is far from over. This guitar duo arrangement was created and recorded by Kithara Duo on the album “Ka Ao: Works for Guitar by Olga Amelkina-Vera.” Parts, score, and optional accompanying PowerPoint slideshow of historical photos of the suffrage movement in the US are available directly from the composer. Please contact me through my website, olgaamelkinavera.com, to let me know of your interest.