Unquiet Times
General
Instrumentation
SSSAATTBB Mixed Choir (8 voice parts, at least 16 singers), Crystal Glasses (1 per each voice principal)
Commission
Commissioned by Alex Whittington and the Yale Glee Club
Score Video
Music Video
About the Work
My choral work meditates on a mantra I assembled from two independent lines of Scripture: “I do not know how to speak” (Jeremiah 1:6) and “I cannot remain silent” (Isaiah 62:1). Beyond their striking sonic implications in a choral setting, the emergent meaning of these seemingly innocuous phrases – linked by a simple “but” – struck me as profoundly human. It expresses a turn from hesitation to resolve, conveying struggle, yearning, and determination in the face of adversity and uncertainty. In such spirit, my music reflects on our collective resilience.
Text
I do not know how to speak,
but I cannot remain silent.