From the artists: This audio excerpt derives from a violin and viola duo I composed in the summer of 2019 entitled speak no evil. The work is a reflection on my relationships with people, whether platonic, romantic or professional. speak no evil can be deductively split into two distinct sections: the first section is a musical “transcription” of three text messages that I received within the last year, one for each of the aforementioned types of relationships. The second section (the section heard on this recording) synthesizes my ever-expanding perception of these relationships with bursts of colorful and vibrant sounds and chords oscillating between the violin and viola. It is within these sounds in that when I originally composed this, I imagined flashes of light pouring into and illuminating a room. This imagery is all the more pertinent now; I cannot help but imagine flashes of light kaleidoscopically pouring into a cathedral from all angles flooding the nave, the chancel, and the sanctuary. Light is optimism, vision, faith, hope, and love. It is important to continue to fight off the darkness, regardless of the Holy Being(s) you may or may not follow. I hope you can hear the light within the music, and see the light through these stunning works of art.

This project is part of an on-going partnership between UMMA and the U-M School of Music, Theatre & Dance, supported by the Katherine Tuck Enrichment Fund and the Greg Hodes and Heidi Hertel Hodes—Partners in the Arts Endowment Fund.