Two Letters to Self
Length: 8 min.
i. the gate (2:40)
ii. to my distant past (5:20)
Voicing: SATB divisi, a cappella
Difficulty: Advanced
Year: 2023
*individual movements available for purchase/performance
Description:
Two Letters to Self (2023) sets fresh, modern texts by poet Leela Srinivasan that explore themes of self reflection, regret, and compassion. Exploring a range of lush and stark textures and striking harmonies, this piece has become an audience and performer favorite.
the gate observes the direct fallout from each choice we make - doors shut, bridges burned, lost opportunities and relationships - and mourns the loss of the realities that will never be. I aimed to deal with the harshness of the subject matter (as well as the physical spacing of the words of the poem) adequately through unsettled, relentless rhythms and stark, contrasting musical textures.
to my distant past takes the opposite approach, giving empathy and unstanding to our past selves doing their best at the time; it also serves as a sort of love letter to self, stating that we can be their for ourselves through all of the peaks and valleys of our lives. I wanted this movement to feel like a warm embrace, so I played with warm, rich chord voicings, as well as layering and echoing voices at different moments of the piece to repeat and resound the message: "I'll be there for you."
Premiere performance given in May 2023 by Consonance Chicago Choral Artists under direction of Michael Costello.