I just want to sink gently into this song.

In Deep Water (ft. Stokely Diamantis)

Winning composition of the 2018 Eastern Horizon Choral Writing Competition, hosted & performed by Choirs For Change, Nova Scotia, Canada, on June 14th 2018.

Musical adaptation of Bahiyyih Nakhjavani's English translation of the poem under the same name by Mahvash Sabet, published in "Prison Poems" ; adaptation and publishing permission has been granted to the composer by George Ronald, Publisher.

Score available for sale at www.marieclairesaindon.com

About the poem and the piece:

“The Imaginary Garden” is a piece of hope, steadfastness, and determination during trials and tribulations. Mahvash Sabet, the author of the poem “The Imaginary Garden”, was one of the seven Bahá’í leaders in Iran who was sentenced to 20 years of imprisonment as prisoners of faith in 2008. Mrs Sabet was a school principal and was stripped of her role during the Islamic Revolution because of her adherence to the Bahá’í Faith - but this did not stop her from covertly teaching all the children and youth around her from persecuted communities, Bahá’í or not, who were devoid of the basic human right to education.

Despite her hardships in prison, Mrs Sabet still held firmly to her love of God, and to the utmost conviction that it was still her duty to teach. In this poem, she evokes others who have come before her and, like herself, have found ways to continue their tasks through unconventional means that circumvented the bars keeping them captive. The imagery of the wind picking up her materials to reach those that would be taught by her is what drives this piece.

The poem comes from a collection of short texts, scribbled on small pieces of paper and napkins, that Mrs Sabet’s family and friends snuck out of prison after visiting hours. The poems were shared with friends outside of Iran, who then translated them into English. The collection as a whole was published under the name of “Prison Poems”, by George Ronald, Publisher in Oxford, while Mrs Sabet was still in prison.

The Imaginary Garden (SATB)

Just a Montreal Composition student exploring sounds.

Mix between classical and singer/songwriter...cause I don't have any focus.

In Deep Water (ft. Stokely Diamantis)

KateMarkle

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