Speak to Us of Joy is a piece about celebrating the beauty of life, and the importance of acknowledging one’s sorrow in order to appreciate moments of joy. The piece is a vibrant, rhythmic setting of Kahlil Gibran’s poem “On Joy and Sorrow” from The Prophet. It is inspired by the driving choral works of Moses Hogan, and the exciting South American grooves the composer grew up around. Through passages of exclamation and gentle reflection, Speak to Us of Joy is a reminder that joy and sorrow are deeply connected – as Gibran writes, “Your joy is your sorrow unmasked.”

Commissioned by the Exultate Chamber Singers, 2021