"Paper Crane" by J. Reese Norris

University of Alabama University Chorus
Donna Thomasson Smith, Graduate Assistant Conductor
Chuqiao Guo, Pianist

Recorded March 2, 2021 at the UA Moody School of Music

University Chorus is open to all UA students who desire a choral experience featuring outstanding repertoire for mixed voices. University Chorus performs a variety of challenging music from throughout history and around the world and often combines with the University Singers to perform choral-orchestral masterworks. University Chorus is led by Dr. Matthew Myers.

"Paper Crane" is published through MusicSpoke.
From the composer: Sadako Sasaki was born on January 7, 1943. She was a two-year-old living with her family in Hiroshima when the bomb was dropped on the city. Their house was about a mile from the center of the blast. She was not hurt at the time even though the house was destroyed. Over time, their lives returned to normal and Sadako experienced no effects from the exposure to radiation from the bomb. However, in 1954, when she was eleven years old, tragedy struck. Sadako was diagnosed with leukemia, and the doctors gave her a year to live. In the hospital, Sadako was told of a legend that if a person were to fold a thousand paper cranes, their wish would come true. This is her story.