Empyrean

Empyrean takes its name from ancient cosmology, where the empyrean was imagined as the highest heaven—a realm of pure light, beyond the physical sky and untouched by time or matter. The sounds from the band are meant to feel ethereal and luminous: shimmering, suspended, and weightless. It is a place to dream about, a world we long to see and to belong to. It represents a goal—an aspiration, an intention.

Within our lifetimes, most of us strive to become the best versions of ourselves. We want to shine. We want to be kind, generous, and worthy of the pride of those we love. We hope to be a bright spot in someone’s day, or the reason for someone’s smile. This impulse, I believe, lies at the heart of human nature. Empyrean reflects an idealized space in which we already are that person we hope to become—a place where we can fully embrace what such love, light, and energy feel like.

The piece dwells in a sound world of blossoming, iridescent harmonies. A central melody, hymn-like in character, unfolds expansively, marked by wide ascending leaps at its cadences. It yearns upward, striving to float ever higher. And the ending may come as a surprise. It is meant as a gentle but insistent call to action: If you wish to ascend to this highest heaven, you must first climb.

Performed by the University Band, University of Minnesota conducted by Betsy McCann.