It feels especially fitting, on Earth Day, to share the news that I’ve been commissioned to compose another Arctic Meditation – this time by Chicago-based flutist Marie Bennett. Arctic Meditations – Serenity will be the second work in a multi-instrumental, multi-year series inspired by my journey to the Arctic three years ago.
I’m particularly drawn to this new piece because I feel, more than ever, that the world is in need of peace and stillness. Even in my own life, it’s easy to get caught in a relentless, fast-paced rhythm. We all need reminders to slow down. In my own meditation practice, I transport myself back to the Arctic – seated alone on a vast shoreline, hearing nothing but the wind and the water meeting the land. In one direction, there was only openness and expanse, stretching as far as the eye could see. That sense of quiet and perspective is something I hope to capture in this music.
Marie brings her own connection to this project, having experienced an Arctic journey herself just last year. She understands this landscape, and the feeling it leaves behind, on a deeply personal level. This will be our second collaboration; the first was several years ago, when the Naperville Chamber Players, where she serves as co-artistic director, commissioned my piece Whistleblower. While this new work will be very different in character, I’m grateful for the opportunity to work with her again. Marie is one of those rare artists who uses her musical voice to advocate for environmental awareness, and that shared purpose makes this collaboration especially meaningful.
I’m excited to begin work on this new Arctic Meditation for Marie, alongside the previously announced piece for trumpeter Spencer Brand, with additional collaborations currently in development. My hope is to continue growing this project over time. After all, now more than ever, we need space to pause, reflect, and listen—both to the world around us and to ourselves.
