Two days after returning from my uncle’s service I was fortunate to attend a choral performance at the nearby college. The evening’s selection, “Requiem for the Living”, couldn’t have been more fitting.

A requiem is traditionally for the deceased but composer Dan Forrest reimagined the form to reflect the grief and sorrow felt by those left behind.

The first of the five movements begins with “Rest eternal grant to them, and let perpetual light shine upon them” while the last one ends with a fervent wish, “Grant us peace”.

Though sung in Latin, the soaring melodic harmonies and haunting solos left me with a tranquil feeling. It was a much needed soothing evening.