Joy will lead you (2020)

for choir and piano
available for mixed choir (SAB or SATB), treble choir (SA or SSA or SSAA), and low voice choir (TTB)

Published by Cypress Choral Music
Visit their website below to see
persual scores & purchase copies!

Text: Dominic Gregorio (1977-2019)
Duration: 5 minutes 30 seconds
Difficulty: 1/4

Commissioned by Tim Friesen & Irene Gregorio in memory of Dominic Gregorio. SATB version first performed March 2020 by the University of Regina Chamber Singers (Melissa Morgan, dir.). US premiere in May 2022 by Yuba College Choir (Marysville, CA - Aya Ueda, dir.).

In the fall of 2012, when Dr. Dominic Gregorio began his position at the University of Regina, I was in my final year of an education degree—feeling lost and unfulfilled, wanting to pursue composition but stuck on a predetermined career path and suddenly feeling trapped. In Dom’s first year at the university, he launched a composition competition, which enabled the performances of my very first choral works—and set me down the path of specializing in choral music, a path I’ve continued to follow for the past seven years. When news spread of his passing in early 2019, I was shocked and confused. Dom was, to so many people, an embodiment of life and joy, and the community—both in Regina and across Canada—was shaken by his sudden loss. When I was approached by Tim Friesen to compose a work in Dom’s memory, I knew this was a project I needed to take on. The text, a poem about always following your passions, seems even more poignant given Dom’s own influence in helping me pursue my dreams, and I hope this piece holds meaning for every person who continues to be touched by his life.

Two live recordings below:

  • Premiere performance of the SATB version by the University of Regina Chamber Singers in March 2020.

  • Premiere performance of the TTB version by Chorus Austin (Ryan Heller, dir.) in March 2023.

Full Text


i love to put my heart on things
see, love is a resonance that rings
it's a bell so delightful as it sings
how i adore all the joy that it brings

so i'm devoted in supporting all your wonder
as you draw out all your radiant colour
your heart, eyes, focused like a hunter
following your bliss, through your inner splendour

and in choosing the "practical" you hate
all your beeing all your doing, a heavy weight
this elicits all your worst, now you're irate
loathing self, and your elation, you negate

and this spirals down and down until you're lost
wand'ring sadly to and fro, this is the cost
be practical, realistic! we've been taught
is it clear yet, the anguish this has brought?

so now take action, what is your highest thrill?
ask your heart now, what's it yearning to fulfill?
with fiery fervour, you develop your true gift
soon you'll see your whole life begins to shift

and thus is your love so magnified
it grows bigger stronger brighter, let's recognize
how by practicing delight you've clarified
you're now your greatest highest you, you're so alive

so cultivate delight, for this is Life's great clue
Joy will lead you to your true authentic you

© Dominic Gregorio, 2018. Used by permission of Irene Gregorio.