Sell-out concert at Snape Maltings 

Woodbridge Choral Society performed my largest choral work to date, BEGIN, to a full house at Snape Maltings Concert Hall. The concert concluded with a standing ovation, and I was deeply touched by several wonderful comments about my piece:

  • ‘I love this piece. Moving and inspiring at the same time, with some lovely hints of John Adams mixed in with spirituals and jazz—love it!’
  • ‘I particularly liked the middle piece, BEGIN, which surprised me as I’m not usually a fan of new music—but I thought it was beautiful.’
  • ‘I really loved the Ponniah…brought a tear to my eye.’

The text for BEGIN is by Jalāl al-Dīn Rūmī (1207–1273). While exploring mindfulness and meditation, I found Rumi’s words appearing to me repeatedly in various contexts. I selected quotes that, to me, encapsulate the ingredients for a happy and fulfilling life:

I. Journey
When will you begin that long journey into yourself?

II. Stars
Let the waters settle and you will see the moon and the stars mirrored in your own being.

III. Silence
Silence is the language of God. When I am silent, I fall into the place where everything is music.

IV. Fire
Set your life on fire. Seek those who fan your flames.

The first movement, Journey, is a call to action. The ‘long journey into yourself’ refers to listening to your heart – that still, small voice of calm – rather than the incessant chatter of the mind. This idea resonates deeply with me, as I spent years trapped in my thoughts. Only when I began following my intuition did my life change dramatically for the better. 

Movements II (Stars) and III (Silence) reflect on how quieting the mind can lead to a sense of vast inner beauty, where ‘everything is music’ and ‘the moon and the stars’ are mirrored within us.

The final movement, Fire, celebrates the passion and energy that comes once we’ve stilled our minds and connected with our deeper selves. It emphasises the importance of surrounding ourselves with those who ‘fan your flames’ rather than extinguish them.

Find out more about Begin