Live Performance: Volti, San Francisco, March 11, 2016

Program Notes: The Sanskrit Mantra “So ham ham sa” has been called the universal breath mantra. Its vibration resembles the sound of the breath during inhalation (so ham) and exhalation (ham sa). I was drawn to this mantra because it is the breath that connects us all and brings everything into being. Breath is our first act of life as we enter this world, and our last as we depart it. In between, we take on average a staggering 17,000 breaths a day, mostly unaware of our breathing, while a barely audible mantra continuously flows through our bodies as we inhale and exhale. It is the awareness of our breath that lies at the heart of “Into Being.”

“Into Being” was commissioned by Octarium for the Art Local Project .

Into Being (2011) - SATB Chorus a cappella

Composer Ingrid Stölzel has been described as having “a gift for melody” (San Francisco Classical Voice) and “evoking a sense of longing” that creates “a reflective and serene soundscape that makes you want to curl up on your windowsill to re-listen on a rainy day.” (I Care If You Listen)  

Stölzel’s compositions have been commissioned by leading soloists and ensembles, and performed in concert halls and festivals worldwide, including Carnegie Hall, Merkin Concert Hall, Kennedy Center, Seoul Arts Center, Thailand International Composition Festival, Festival Osmose (Belgium), Vox Feminae Festival (Israel), Dot the Line Festival (South Korea), Ritornello Chamber Music Festival (Canada), Festival of New Music at Florida State (USA), Beijing Modern Music Festival (China), Festival of New American Music (USA), and SoundOn Festival of Modern Music (USA). Her music has been recognized in numerous competitions, among them recently the Suzanne and Lee Ettelson Composer's Award, Red Note Composition Competition, the Robert Avalon International Competition for Composers, and the Kaleidoscope Chamber Orchestra Competition. Recordings can be found on various commercial releases including her portrait album “The Gorgeous Nothings” which features her chamber and vocal chamber music. Stölzel teaches composition at the University of Kansas School of Music.

Into Being (2011) - SATB Chorus a cappella

Ingrid Stölzel | Composer