Light Persists
"Light Persists" - Commissioned by Robert Livingston and the Hillsdale Wind Symphony
(2021) for Grade 4 Wind Ensemble
In memory of Jason Fritz
www.brookepierson.com
Program Note:
Losing a loved one forces us to confront grief in ways we are never ready for. It is one of the most shared experiences in all of humanity and there is no perfect way to heal. Light Persists is a musical reflection on grief; darkness in which we feel there may be no escape. But light always finds a way to break through the darkness and in our grief we remember our loved ones with a fire and ache that can be unlike anything else. This work juxtaposes elements of darkness through clustered dissonance and minor chords, with a brighter ascending hymn-like progression which represents the light. Our memories of those we love, and the good they brought into the world, will forever persist as light.