Program Note: There Are Stars is inspired by the poem “There Are Stars” by Hannah Senesh. It reads as follows:
”There are stars whose light reaches the earth only after they themselves have disintegrated and are no more.

And there are people whose scintillating memory lights the world after they have passed from it.

These lights–which shine in the darkest night – are those which illumine for us the path.”

Senesh was a Jewish Hungarian woman who returned to Hungary in 1944 to aid anti-Nazi forces and aid Jews throughout Europe. Upon her return, she was captured by the Hungarian authorities. She refused to give any information or beg for a pardon and was consequently murdered by firing squad. After WWII, her mother was instrumental in ensuring her diary, plays, and poetry were brought to public attention. Since then, her writing has captivated the hearts and minds of many, myself included.

I came across this poem incidentally right around the time I was beginning to conceptualize this piece. I was indeed struck by its uplift and its comforting sentiment. Moreover, Senesh’s choice of allegory (stars and light) immediately made me think of soaring flute melodies and warm string passages, which I’m so fortunate to bring to life with the Sonora Collective.

The most significant inspiration I drew, however, was from what Senesh tells those of us who are living about what we should aspire to leave behind. The poem describes what is, to me, the ultimate legacy – to be eternally impactful on the living. For each of us, there is or will be at some point at least one person who achieves that kind of impact. This piece is a testament to those who leave behind that eternal legacy.

Commisioned By: the Sonora Collective (chamber version)

Premiere: World Premiere with Katie Althen