Program Notes:

Meditations Over Shore is a one-day journey along the shore. Being far from my homeland, many memories of the shore on the other side of the ocean came to mind. While walking along the shore, one can hear the murmur of the waves, buoy bells, rain, and foghorns – all of which found their way into the score. For most of the piece, the soloists and chorus do not sing text but rather breathe and hum. I decided to use only one line of text, taken from a poem by H.N. Bialik, one of Israel’s most important poets: "Me’ever La-Yam" (Beyond the sea).

For the premiere of Meditations Over Shore, I used buoy bells borrowed from the Rhode Island Coast Guard. If buoy bells are difficult to obtain, other kinds of bells (without clappers), metal plates, or small tam tams may be substituted.

Meditations Over Shore was written for conductor Tamara Brooks and the New England Conservatory Chamber Singers and Chorus.