KEVIN PIRKER

by Kevin Pirker

SATB a cappella – CP 1756 – duration 4:15

This is the winning composition of Choral Canada’s 2020 National Competition for Choral Writing — Diane Loomer Award, premiered by the 2020 National Youth Choir of Canada. Lord Byron’s (1788-1824) poem She Walks in Beauty has a dynamic usage of vivid visual imagery that instills the reader with a deep sense of tranquility and peace. The perpetual contrast between brightness and darkness has an inherent musical connection through harmony. As the text shifts in colour and tone, the harmony underneath shifts along with it. With more movement in the second stanza, we switch from duple to triple time reminiscent of a folk dance. Near the end of the second stanza on the word, “pure”, we return back to tranquility and peace in duple meter. This is a romantic piece that would fit well with a choir’s programme with themes of peace and love.

by Kevin Pirker

SATB a cappella – CP 1887 – duration 5:25

As I get older, I grow increasingly aware of the suffering that exists in this world. It’s all over the news, found at every corner of social media; and I (like everyone) experience it in my own way. Amazingly, even amidst suffering, I can see just how resilient people become. They become stronger and work together. This is especially true regarding refugees. Many refugees seeking a better life for themselves and their families would risk everything in order to find hope in the chaos that surrounds them. It might be the only way to have a new chance at life; a complete renewal. Seeing how these refugees stand with courage inspired me to write Meditations. It is a piece that shares my own personal story of “renewal”; where I was, where I am, and where I want to go. As many university students could understand, the workload demanded of you becomes extremely stressful in short (or sometimes long) periods of time. In times like these, doubting yourself and your place in the world is unfortunately not out of the scope of reality. Throughout the past year, I’ve been attempting to make meditation a daily practice, and it has ultimately boosted my positivity and productivity. Meditation, for me, has been a way of helping settle these internal struggles, while creating music has given me an outlet to share my story. Now, I’m very excited to share it with you.