In this short film, composer Cecilia McDowall discusses Music of the Stars, a three-movement work celebrating the power of music. She reflects on how to choose texts and how to set these in a way that allows the words to speak for themselves and to resonate with choirs and conductors.

Music of the Stars offers an enlightening commentary on the power of music to console and uplift in challenging times. Characterful string writing accompanies the engaging vocal lines, with McDowall artfully employing vibraphone, glockenspiel, and suspended cymbal to sprinkle a touch of celestial sparkle throughout the score.

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Cecilia McDowall has been described by the International Record Review as having a 'communicative gift that is very rare in modern music. An award-winning composer, McDowall is often inspired by extra-musical influences, and her choral writing combines rhythmic vitality with expressive lyricism.

Music: O Oriens by Cecilia McDowall, performed by The Oxford Choir.

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