Program Note:

Suite to Water a Small Garden (2023) is a four-part composition inspired by the essence and characteristics of hymns. The piece from beginning to end is a conversation between the three performers that explores the themes of human connection to the earth and the power of communal music making.

The second movement of the piece uses a portion of text from Il Cantico delle Creature (“The Canticle of the Sun”) by Saint Francis of Assisi. This text, written in the Umbrian dialect of the Italian language, was originally a poem written by Saint Francis in the early 13th century. It celebrates the beauty and wonder of nature and is considered one of the earliest works of Italian literature. In this piece, the vocalist sings the text in modern Italian, allowing for a a more colloquial style and deeper connection to the meaning of the text. The fourth and final movement of the piece uses a Gregorian chant melody which has been used in communal music making for centuries. The transformed use of this antiquated musical structure serves to give the piece an underlying sense of tradition while playing with our modern expectations of how music can be a collective experience.

At the heart of this piece is the idea that music has the power to bring people together and create a sense of community and connection. When we play and sing together, we synchronize our breath and the pulse of our hearts, reminding us of our shared humanity.