From Darkness to Light: A Spiritual Journey:

From Darkness to Light is the second concerto I wrote for percussionist Dame Evelyn Glennie, and is a work that has significant meaning to me.

In the winter of 2011, a dear friend of mine, Luc Leestemaker (a talented painter and entrepreneur), was diagnosed with cancer. Throughout that year, he underwent an emotional and spiritual journey, one that is commonly shared with many people who have been afflicted by the illness – from the trauma of being diagnosed, to the painful healing process, and to the moment of clarity one eventually reaches. From that experience, he approached me and proposed the idea of writing a symphonic work that expresses this journey in musical form. 

Luc was a person who did not believe the arts was some commodity one purchases for entertainment when one has money in the bank and everything they need. No, he believed that the arts was something one turns to when they have no money and lose all the things that matter. He truly believed that art and music have the ability to comfort and heal. It was his vision to create a work that would take the audience on a journey of healing. 

I could not think of anyone better to collaborate on this project with than Dame Evelyn Glennie. After discussing it with her, we agreed that this was an important theme that warranted musical representation. 

In preparation for this work, I interviewed a number of cancer survivors and patients. From these interviews I found many parallels in their journeys. It was their shared experience that I wanted to express in musical form.

Sadly, Luc passed away in May of 2012 on his 55th birthday. During the final months of his life he created a series of paintings as a way of capturing his journey in artistic form. He wanted to share his journey in this way so others living with cancer could benefit from it.

Exactly one month to the day after his passing, my wife and I experienced the birth of our child Claudia. So for me, this concerto expresses what I went through during that period – the experience of losing a close friend to the miracle of life.

From Darkness to Light is my personal response to cancer. It is a large-scale work that expresses the horrors of the illness and the journey that one faces: the fear and uncertainty; the shock and trauma; the grueling process of overcoming it; and finally, the reconciliation that is reached at the end – from pain and suffering to peace and acceptance. It is a musical journey of healing.

NOTE: Throughout the work, there are many passages where Dame Glennie freely improvises to elevate the realism of the spiritual journey. As well, we decided to end the piece with her own composition, “A Little Prayer” (for solo marimba). Her work serves as the final stage of the journey, providing a sense of closure that transcends material existence while allowing her to make her own personal statement.

Order score and parts here.