The Hope of Loving: Music for Chorus, String Quartet, and Piano at Grace Episcopal Church

This program invites us into a journey of connection—to the earth, to one another, and to the deepest parts of ourselves. Each piece opens a different doorway into presence, compassion, and shared humanity.

We begin by connecting with the earth in "The Peace of Wild Things" by Jake Runestad, where Wendell Berry’s words remind us that nature offers refuge from the weight of human worry. In the stillness of the natural world, fear loosens its grip and the spirit finds rest.

From there, we connect with beauty in unexpected places through Ola Gjeilo’s "Westminster Bridge."Inspired by Wordsworth’s dawn view of London, the piece reveals how the boundary between city and nature softens when we pause long enough to truly see.

Jake Runestad’s "The Secret of the Sea"invites us to connect with the unknown. Whitman and Longfellow open the work with wonder and longing, the sea becoming a metaphor for the search for meaning. Turbulence follows—chaos, fear, and the vastness of what we cannot control—before the final movement, drawn from Inuit shaman Uvavnuk, breaks open with light. In surrendering to nature’s immensity, we glimpse clarity and renewal.

In "Flower into Kindness," Runestad turns inward, urging us to connect with our deepest nature. Love, he suggests, is not something we acquire but something we are. When we act from that truth, kindness naturally blooms.

Dale Trumbore’s "If I Say Yes" grounds us in the present moment, inviting us to connect in the present. Love becomes a daily choice—imperfect, vulnerable, and honest—rooted not in certainty but in the willingness to show up for one another.

Eric Whitacre’s "Sing Gently," born from a global virtual choir of more than 17,000 voices, reminds us to connect through music. Its message of unity, empathy, and compassion affirms that even across distance, music binds us into community.

riks Ešenvalds’ luminous arrangement of "Amazing Grace"expands the idea of grace from the personal to the universal. We connect through grace as a solo voice becomes a communal embrace, culminating in a radiant affirmation of shared hope.

Runestad’s "The Hope of Loving" deepens this theme, urging us to connect through love—active, vulnerable, and sustaining. Love becomes the force that binds us to one another and to the world.

We close with Craig Hella Johnson’s gospel-inspired "All of Us," from the oratorio "Considering Matthew Shepard," a call to connect in the most essential way: by recognizing our shared humanity. The piece transforms tragedy into a vision of healing, justice, and compassion, reminding us that a more loving world is possible when we choose it—together.

URLs:
Website: https://go.evvnt.com/3635230-2?pid=11710
YouTube: https://go.evvnt.com/3635230-5?pid=11710

Time: 15:00 - 17:00