(2026)
I began sketches for Compassion (Rachamim) during the Covid 19 pandemic of 2020. People were isolated from each other, afraid of this new, unknown virus and its effect. Poignant scenes of loved ones touching the window panes of family members in nursing homes and healthcare facilities. Overworked hospital staff, long lines stretching blocks in the cold winter to see a doctor. Newspapers published lists of names of those who died. And compassion naturally arose. There was such a gaping need.
I asked myself, what is the sound of compassion? How could it be put into music notes? I knew it needed the warmth and tenderness of stringed instruments. A string quartet, maybe a string orchestra
When Orange Road expressed interest in premiering a new composition, I returned to those sketches. Some pages were already intact. They felt authentic, like a bedrock layer of compassion from which to grow.