First choral commission in two years! This one is for a very dear friend who recently earned her hot air balloon certificate. The text is a short, traditional prayer recited before taking to the skies.

This is the “concert version” of the piece, for technically skilled singers. I’m also planning on making a simplified version for untrained singers to intone together before flying.

Speaking of flying: that’s exactly what it felt like to write for voices again! All three of the pieces I was working on when COVID hit were vocal: a song cycle and two choral works. None of those commissions survived the pandemic, unfortunately.

I’m so grateful for this commission (which supported the Greater Boston Food Bank) and for the friendship that brought it about.