Back in April of 2022, my piece entitled NDE: Impressions of a Near Death Experience, was conducted by Dr. Bruce Hangen and performed by the Boston Conservatory Orchestra at Symphony Hall. This concert was particularly noteworthy as it highlighted works by living Black composers. As another defining moment in my musical career, I am especially grateful to my family, friends, and teachers that have been a part of my journey. Thank you, too, my Facebook friends, for your kind words and encouragement.

PROGRAM NOTE: NDE: Impressions of a Near-Death Experience For centuries, those that have come in close contact with death have told stories of traveling down a colorful tunnel of light, seeing their life flash before their eyes, and of meeting God, and the souls of loved ones that had passed on before them. It is estimated that between 17–20 percent of people have attested to having a near-death experience, and, to the ears of someone that has not had a near-death experience, these stories can come across as hallucinations of a dying mind. However, these stories are more similar than different, and the common themes across many of these shared experiences is the undeniable feeling of unconditional love, the feeling of overwhelming compassion and empathy for everyone and everything, and the acquired freedom from the fear of death. Whether experienced by the atheist, the agnostic, or the priest, the lessons learned during a near-death experience are similar: no matter who we are and what we have done, we are loved by the power that created the universe and all that is. Some say God, some say the universe, and some say the divine, but to those that have encountered the Source of Everything, any name is insufficient to describe the sheer power and love that radiates from it. Although no music or words are adequate to express these themes, NDE is a brief exploration through some of them. Near-death experiencers attest that God, angels, spirit guides, and our loved ones are on the other side helping us navigate and learn from life's many experiences. It is said that they attempt to contact us through signs and symbols that we should identify if we are aware and vigilant. They teach us to love, be compassionate and empathetic, and provide us with countless opportunities to do so. Just as those on the other side use signs to reach us and teach us, NDE is sprinkled with numbers, signs, and Morse Code expressing the message of love. Whether or not we believe such things is minute compared to the truth that is: we are loved.

Video credit: Symphony Hall, Boston

This was the very first piece of music that I ever composed. Back when I was a junior at Pensacola Christian College, I entered the original composition category of the annual Commencement Competition and won alongside a fellow members of my cohort.

While many of my rigid religious views have been softened over the years, I am no less proud of this work and the message of hope that it sends.