Umoja for Flute Quartet by Valerie Coleman

Umoja is the Swahili word for “unity” and is the first day in seven in the African-American celebration of Kwanzaa. The original composition calls for unity through the tradition of call and response and was first meant to be a simple family sing-along song for Kwanzaa. As it was added to the wind quintet repertoire of Imani Winds, it soon became a signature piece of the ensemble. Today, Umoja has several versions, for band, orchestra, flute choir, and flute quartet.