PROGRAM NOTE (from the premiere)

The goal of this piece is to imitate outbursts of tongues, "singing in the spirit," and other expressions of intercessory worship. This type of worship is prominent in pentecostal and charismatic christian denominations, including the evangelical community I grew up in. During a worship service, congregants will improvise interjections and responses to the music. Worshipers believe they have been "filled" with the Holy Spirit; they believe they are speaking real languages or a personal "prayer language" known only to God. Musically, I sought to imitate the sound environment of a congregation speaking and singing in tongues through constant repetitions of syllabic, indeterminate materials. The text within the work - "I take no rest for the one I love, with prayer and petition, I take no rest for you" - is a declaration of devotion, obsession, and earnest love. 

Premiered by Stare at the Sun.