The Night that the Museum Burned (2022)
(for SATB Choir and Strings)

The Night that the Museum Burned sets a new text by poet Ross Baglin, written specifically for this commission. It contrasts the removed opulence of a high-rise penthouse arts function simultaneously with the museum burning below at street level. Baglin’s poem alludes to rioting on the streets, but doesn’t directly say whether the museum is a deliberate target or incidental collateral damage. The inference, however, is hard to escape – that the preservation of culture and history is under siege. This choral work was commissioned by Brett Weymark and the Sydney Philharmonia Choirs for performance in their Grant us Peace concert in St. Andrew’s Cathedral, Sydney on 9 July 2022.