“Beneath the Purple Sky” was commissioned by Melissa Morgan and the department of music at the University of Regina. The poem is by the young Canadian poet Stephanie Cui titled “I am running in a feld with open arms”. The poem is “about the beauty of nature and being a part of it” while it also expresses “being utterly alone…but also feelings of youthfulness and…freedom within a person”. [Quotes from the poet.]
My goal was to create serene atmosphere with the use of a recurring D major ostinato in the piano, upon which the choir glides with their lines. The sudden outbursts in the choir represent the youthful exuberance, while the softer parts exhibit pensiveness. The pulse has to be taken with a certain degree of freedom to allow the words to speak.
While the work is written for a university level choir, its diffculty level is suitable for senior high school choirs or experienced community choirs as well.
A score with piano reduction is available from the composer upon request.