Music has always helped humanity search for meaning. Spiritual Voyage explores that universal journey through sounds both ancient and modern. From sacred Latin texts and Buddhist reflections, to a powerful Swahili version of “The Lord’s Prayer” and a cinematic exploration of faith and personal conviction, this powerful concert celebrates the many ways people seek connection, hope, and meaning. We are delighted to welcome the Singers of Summerville for this musical experience.
The evening opens with “Baba Yetu” by Christopher Tin, the first piece of video game music ever to win a Grammy Award. Setting the Lord’s Prayer in Swahili, the work blends global musical traditions into a joyful and uplifting celebration of shared humanity. As a parallel and a contrast, the timeless beauty of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s Ave Verum Corpus offers one of the most serene and beloved expressions of sacred music ever written. Contemporary composer Chris Pilsner’s Infinitum expands the program’s spiritual lens even further, drawing inspiration from meditation, stillness, and the search for inner peace.
The first half concludes with two iconic, powerful works: music from Gladiator by Hans Zimmer, filled with themes of faith, sacrifice, family, followed by the terrifying power of the “Dies Irae” from Giuseppe Verdi’s Requiem, one of music history’s most overwhelming visions of judgment and fate.
The second half begins with Mieczysław Karłowicz’s sweeping Lithuanian Rhapsody, a deeply emotional work rooted in folk melody, longing, and transformation. Though not overtly religious, the piece reflects a different kind of spiritual journey - one of identity, rebirth, memory, and emotional transcendence. Karłowicz, whose music often wrestled with existential themes and humanity’s place within nature, creates a sound world that feels searching, expansive, and deeply personal.
The concert ends with Lili Boulanger’s hauntingly beautiful Prière vieille Bouddhique (“Old Buddhist Prayer”), written by one of the most remarkable musical voices of the early 20th century. Its subtitle is a fitting description for the whole concert: “Daily prayer for the whole universe.” The theme of universal fellowship is conveyed through choral writing that is simple, direct and with open harmonies evoking Medieval and Renaissance plainchant.