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STUDENT VOICE STUDENT VOICE

The Uncreated Light (2023) Structure Ikon of Nipsis (2024) Structure
This is my first purely instrumental work structured around The approach of attribution involves linking phrases or Icons are central to Orthodox veneration, serving as Ikon of Nipsis follows the same method as The Uncreated
a text. Scored for mixed percussion (gong, vibraphone, ideas to specific motifs or sections, often blending the two testimonies to the Incarnation of God the Son in Jesus Light, linking words and phrases to musical sections that are
tubular bells, suspended cymbal) and string trio, it explores so that a motif is fully realised within its own structural Christ. Commissioned by the Melbourne Symphony reintegrated based on the text’s structure. Additionally, it
the Orthodox concept of the ‘uncreated light’ – a divine context. This requires interpreting the text in a way that Orchestra for the Cybec 21st Century Australian employs musical cipher to embed text within the music.
energy through which created beings can know and assigns distinct musical meaning to words or phrases, Composers’ Program 2023, Ikon of Nipsis translates To delineate, musical cipher assigns musical elements to
commune with God. making them recognisable within the composition. Just as iconography into sound. Instead of depicting Christ
texts frequently repeat certain themes in different contexts or a saint, it explores Nipsis – the spiritual practice of letters or numbers, historically used to ‘spell’ words in music.
Inspired by Meagan Streader’s Sky Whispers (2023) exhibition to offer new perspectives, this method naturally aligns watchfulness, cultivating vigilance over one’s thoughts. In this case, a system was developed to map Greek letters to
space, the piece reflects her use of light and architecture, a with musical structures that emphasise reintegration and Following the previous examples, I based the structure on integers, which then correspond to musical values such as
connection also found in Orthodox theology. Its structure development. an excerpt from a spiritual text, specifically St. Nikephoros rhythm, bar pulses, and beat subdivisions.
is based on a passage from St. Maximos the Confessor’s the Monk’s work titled On Watchfulness (13th century).
First Century on Love (7th century), with musical elements
standing in for textual meaning in the absence of vocalists.

Figure 3. Two tables showing the process of 1)
assigning incremental integers to Greek letters, 2)
assigning sequences of letters to integers according
to the phrase “των επερχομένων δοκιμασιών”, and
3) assigning these sequences to the pulses/beats of
bars and subdivisions of beats in each string part.

Figure 2. Colour coded extract from Maximos the Confessor’s First Century on Love, where the colours are
assigned to the following: Blue, divinity as The Sun/Son; Yellow, revelation of divinity; Orange, divinity as Light;
Green, creation. The structure of the text is then translated into a musical structure formed through disparate
motifs expressed through contrasting melodic, rhythmic, harmonic and instrumental elements.

Figure 4. The resulting score from the processes outlined in Figure 3.

Conclusion texts can be translated into music. I hope that this research will
As much as I am grateful that, in whatever capacity, the works inspire others who likewise explore the incorporation of spiritual
produced may contribute to the already rich and fulfilling elements in their music and perhaps inspire others who have not
catalogue of the Western art canon, I am primarily motivated actively thought of such an approach. I believe that by investing
by their capacity to inspire those of the same or similar faith in a project that requires me to challenge myself in actively
traditions wanting to incorporate their spirituality into their craft. stretching as far as I can my capacity to apply my paradigm to
This approach not only helps to deepen the spiritual dimension various concert works, I may offer the source of inspiration for
of works but also provides a fresh perspective on how sacred those on similar paths to do the same.

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