I often heard the bible scripture, “Where two or three are gathered in my name I will be in the midst,” (Matthew 18:20) in my family’s small church where the attendance often was just my parents and my siblings. We would meet on everyday of the week for choir rehearsal, bible study, or regular worship service. Somehow, hearing that scripture meant that there was a much larger purpose to being present in the small gathering. In this piece, the imitate pairing of violin and cello join together in setting a meditative, solemn character. I imagine two people singing and moaning together in a ceremonious manner. This earnest state gradually transforms in the second movement to a jovial, energetic state ending with a climatic ending. This piece was commissioned by the Peabody Essex Museum in Salem, MA with the support of the Asia/America New Music Institute (AANMI)
