Above is a an excerpt of a performance by the Ensemble at CalArts of a piece I composed called "You, Beloved, Neutral, Challenges, All" conducted by Marc Menzies at the Wild Beast Pavilion. 

​

The piece is in four movements and attempts to give sound to the Theravada Buddhist practice of Mettā, or compassionate meditation, where an intentional prayer of flourishing is given first to your self, then to those in your closest relationships, to your neutral acquaintances, to those whom you have a challenge coming to know and finally attempting to expand this idea to an even larger formation of interconnectedness.

​

The original text takes us through the journey of the perils and insights of this kind of practice; from a large tapestry of interlocking pulses, to foggy spoken word, to an expanded chorale form that suddenly realizes its own self authorship.  

 

The prayer itself comes at the end of the piece and is broken up into three elements: freedom to flourish, freedom from suffering, and resonance with cultivating your character in your given circumstance. 

​

"You, Beloved, Neutral, Challenges, All" lasts about 50min. 

​

See the link below for the text and original program notes