There were people in this world who have given me more than I have given so far. One such example was Angelina Nicolaidou. A very special person who transformed into a great friend. She took my music to Europe and introduced me to a group of wonderful people, such as all the singers of the Cypriot choir,
Cantus Novus Femina. When she passed away, I felt immense pain.
I remember that day in May very vividly. I was in Madrid, staying at
Ciro Junker's house, a great friend for years and a singer in the
Coro de Jóvenes de Madrid. And as we were going to meet with the guys from
Voces8, I received the message from
Livia Prodromou and was completely shocked. I had plans to visit her in Cyprus and I couldn't make it, there wasn't enough time. That day I began to rewrite this piece to dedicate it to Angelina and give it to this choir that brought me so much happiness. A piece that is written with heart in hand and soul laid bare.
On a separate note and after several months, during the winter holidays, I took the free time to catch up with my great friend
Brian Stevens. During the conversation, he tells me that after having gone through very strong emotions in his life, he was already resurging with one of the best initiatives of his life. He looked completely excited. He was another person. This choir would consist of uniting high-performance voices and bringing to life a great amount of music from all over the world. He is a great connector of borders, and his initiative is immense. And at that moment, it occurred to us that this birth could give life and reincarnate a soul. I consulted with the sister choir in Cyprus and they had no problem with Brian premiering the work dedicated to Angelina. Brian was moved by this gesture and we all felt a great connection. Brian was going to premiere this work in New York, and Cantus Novus Femina would do the same in Cyprus during the anniversary concert in May, one year on.
The collaborative spirit of both choirs, the mutual understanding that makes us all go in one common direction, greatly moves me. It makes me feel love and hope for humanity. Choral art brings out the best in humans. I usually say, although I will always write the best I can, music is an excuse, it is the most powerful tool I have to make souls meet and for all of us to live experiences of connection, growth, and healing. That is truly what matters in this experience called life.
