A Stillness That Moves

9'

Commissioned by Houston Grand Opera for the Rothko Chapel in Houston Texas

A Stillness That Moves, written for soprano, baritone, clarinet, viola and percussion, is a site-specific, theatrical work commissioned by Houston Grand Opera for the Rothko Chapel in Houston Texas. The four-line motto of the Chapel serves as the text for the entire piece. Because Rothko Chapel’s mission is to foster meaningful connections and to emphasize non-division among religions and cultures, I’ve incorporated translations of these lines in different languages as well as in the original English text into this work. I am indebted to my Civitella fellows of spring 2022, who generously provided translations in the languages they speak. Their involvement in this project not only commemorates our wonderful residency, but also highlights our diversity and unity, in line with Rothko Chapel’s vision. This piece can be performed in different venues.

–Shih-Hui Chen