The phrase Ubi caritas et amor, Deus ibi est—“Where charity and love are, God is there”—has always resonated with me, regardless of context or belief. It speaks to something quietly universal: the presence of care, the warmth of connection, the small ways we show up for one another.

I approached this setting as a meditation on that kind of human closeness. The piece opens in close-knit, homorhythmic lines—reminiscent of Gregorian chant. Gradually, individual voices begin to emerge: passing melodies, brief solo calls, shared questions. Nothing here is hurried. Time stretches, pulses soften, and silence begins to matter just as much as sound.

Much of the piece’s sound world is shaped by smooth voice leading that gives way to gentle harmonic clusters. I was drawn to the friction and beauty that live in those spaces—just enough tension to feel alive, just enough release to feel at peace.

As the piece nears its end, the textures thin and soften. The music doesn’t resolve so much as it settles—quietly, inwardly, with room to reflect. More than anything, Ubi Caritas is about presence. It’s about how we listen to each other, how we hold space, and how something meaningfulwhether sacred or simply human—can take root in that quiet.

– From the composer