While You Live (SATB)

The Epitaph of Seikilos is widely regarded as the oldest surviving complete musical composition with musical notation. Dating from around the 1st or 2nd century CE, it was engraved in Ancient Greek on a marble stele discovered near modern-day Aydın in Türkiye. Its brief but enduring text reflects on the fleeting nature of life, urging us to embrace each moment: while you live, shine; life is short, and time demands an end.

In this contemporary SATB a cappella setting, reflective melodic writing and luminous vocal textures explore the contrast between mortality and hope, gradually illuminating the text’s call to “shine bright” even in times of darkness. The work offers programming possibilities for concerts and festivals exploring themes of life, mortality, remembrance, hope, and the passage of time.

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