Spirit Flies Sun Rises

About

I began this piece in the middle of 2018, but with one thing and another, had to put it down for a few months and planned to recommence work on it later in the year and finish it over the summer. In November, as I was about to settle in to the composition, my younger brother Brendan died suddenly. This devastating and life changing event gave me cause to re-evaluate the work and what I wanted to express in it. I had a clear image in mind throughout the composition and it was of a photograph taken when my uncle’s ashes were spread while on a trip to Raglan. The scene was incredible. It was not a particularly windy day, but when the cap was taken off the urn, it was almost as if he leapt out of its confines and blew out to sea in an enormous hurry. The photograph captures this visceral moment perfectly. The ashes resemble a bird in flight or perhaps a leaping deer. I imagined my brother Brendan’s spirit finding such freedom. In this piece, I have tried to capture the idea of a spirit leaving the earth to become part of the great all, while for those of us remaining, the world still turns and the sun still rises. I would like to express my heartfelt thanks to the Parsons family and the Te Koki Trio for giving me the opportunity to compose this piece. The process of composition was an enormously cathartic and unforgettable experience.