Uploaded July 2026 | Updated September 2026, 1 week ago
Young composer Sea-am Thompson sets music to text by local Waitaha Canterbury poet Rebecca Ball. The harmonic writing fades in and out of dissonance and consonance echoing the instability of the preparation to move on depicted in the poem.
The sun slows its rise
into grey skies tides hold
the horizon the wind lies like
silk sheets on the ground. we
wait in this quiet place you have
made watch the pulse of your eyelids
the pace of your breath while you catch
those falling lights feel them flicker in your
wrists land like cool dew on your palms.
as you sigh the air takes new shape
braces into steps and scaffolds
stiffens against walls holds
us weightless at your side.
this silence your secret.
each hour the dusty
light of dawn.
Performed by the Jubilate Singers, conductor Philip Norman, at The Piano, 24 August 2025.
Audio recorded by Alex van den Broek. Filmed and edited by Chris Watson for SOUNZ. Film funded by NZ On Air.
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Learn more about the composers and performers of music from Aotearoa New Zealand on our website (sounz.org.nz), or by following us on Facebook (@SOUNZnz), Instagram (@sounz_nz), or TikTok (@sounz_nz).
#nzmusic
Young composer Sea-am Thompson sets music to text by local Waitaha Canterbury poet Rebecca Ball. The harmonic writing fades in and out of dissonance and consonance echoing the instability of the preparation to move on depicted in the poem.
The sun slows its rise
into grey skies tides hold
the horizon the wind lies like
silk sheets on the ground. we
wait in this quiet place you have
made watch the pulse of your eyelids
the pace of your breath while you catch
those falling lights feel them flicker in your
wrists land like cool dew on your palms.
as you sigh the air takes new shape
braces into steps and scaffolds
stiffens against walls holds
us weightless at your side.
this silence your secret.
each hour the dusty
light of dawn.
Performed by the Jubilate Singers, conductor Philip Norman, at The Piano, 24 August 2025.
Audio recorded by Alex van den Broek. Filmed and edited by Chris Watson for SOUNZ. Film funded by NZ On Air.
--
Learn more about the composers and performers of music from Aotearoa New Zealand on our website (sounz.org.nz), or by following us on Facebook (@SOUNZnz), Instagram (@sounz_nz), or TikTok (@sounz_nz).
#nzmusic
