'A Taoist Requiem' is a moving meditation on life, death, and spirituality from an Eastern perspective. Scored for a diverse ensemble including piano, harp, woodwinds, brass, strings, and wordless choir/soloists, the Requiem journeys through a challenging psychic landscape familiar to us all. My aim when composing this work was to stay true to the spirit of a traditional requiem while invoking the otherworldliness of Eastern mysticism. The deliberate use of tonality albeit through the lens of modal scales hopefully provides a sense of familiarity and structure. At the same time, the score employs a variety of challenging textural contrasts, from sparse and intimate passages to dense and layered sections, and calls for expert vocal technique in the service of the emotions.
