abstract: Composer James DeMars has found a unique voice in the poetry of Alberto "Tito" Rios. The imagery combines memories and experiences of life on the Mexican/American border with scenes of love at various stages of life. The purpose of this study is to examine the structure, artistry and contemporary significance of Tito's Say, a cantata for soprano and baritone soloists, chorus, and orchestra by James DeMars with text by Alberto Rios, and to gain understanding of its inception, creation, composition, and subsequent performances. Description will be given in detail to increase familiarity with the work among choral musicians. Within this document, the reader will learn from personal interviews about James DeMars and Alberto Rios, focusing on their influences and experiences, including the circumstances leading up to the creation of Tito's Say. Furthermore, the reader will discover why the work was composed and how the collaboration came to be, details about its premiere, subsequent performances, and varying versions of this composition. A descriptive exploration and analysis of the text, its musical treatment, as well as an analysis of each of the five movements of the work are included herein, focusing on harmony, form, and style. Last, the author seeks to address stylistic and formal traits that unify the work, and performance considerations and challenges for the choir and for the orchestra. Appendices include available reviews, more extended biographies of both the composer and the poet compiled from interviews, and a works list of DeMars's compositions. / Dissertation/Thesis / D.M.A. Music 2012