This month’s featured music:
Reflections on a Journey with Cancer (2024)
Last year while snowshoeing on Mount Timpanogos, I lamented my inability to musically capture a certain experience I see with many Oncology patients. These friends start hopeful, falter when their path becomes steep and treacherous, and then gain deep insight through their sufferings — irrespective of whether the outcome is what they initially hoped. Sometimes this is personal growth. Sometimes it is the building of important relationships. Sometimes it is deeper spiritual understanding. I was just above the Bonneville Shoreline Trail when Maurice Ravel’s Piano Concerto in G Major came over my earbuds. It was like a light went off. Here was the music I had been trying to develop for years, beautifully tracing this Cancer Journey start-to-finish, including the veritable voice of God (or inspiration) just before the close of the 2nd movement. Lyrics flowed easily as I listened. This year I have re-written the music to be accessible to smaller groups. The original version included a Chamber Ensemble of Woodwinds or Strings. This year, I have re-written the piece for just Choir and Piano, and also an even simpler version to be sung as a Duet. I encourage you to listen to this piece, follow the Lyrics (see the link above), and then share your thoughts with me. If anyone knows a choir who may be interested in performing Reflections on a Journey with Cancer, please let me know at: sleuthmusic@gmail.com .

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Download music (free) by Composer William Stephenson. I would enjoy seeing or hearing your performances, and would appreciate receiving a link when you post them on social media.
Other music available, below.