Program Note

In a composer’s life, one or many pieces may require more time to think through than actually to compose. For me, Between Our Breaths We Sing is one of those pieces. I found myself asking big questions like, “How do I face tragedy? How does my community? The world?” I pondered these questions for over a year before finally sitting down to write the first notes of this work. 

In the process of creating this piece, I found myself extremely humbled. I’ve lived such a short time on this planet and have been so fortunate to find myself taking another breath each morning. 

This idea became the foundation on which my piece is built. Each phrase clusters and collects like an organic intake of air. In this repetitive ritual, melodic material gathers together. It begins to transform until it reaches a point of grand, maximum density before finally rising toward a climax of pitch and volume. After this moment of triumph, you’ll find all of the instruments “inhaling” and “exhaling” together toward the piece’s conclusion. 

This programmatic work represents my belief that when we are united in our humanity, we can arise from tragedy and look toward a better world.