In the late summer of 2021, I finally made my way to the U.S. for the second half of my composition studies at Yale University - finally in person, after the first year of everyone zooming in from their bedrooms around the world. The first non-essential item I acquired after arriving was an anthology of poems by Mary Oliver. I had never heard of this outstanding poet before I came across her work in a bookstore in New Haven, and so I discovered her poetry in an unprejudiced and casual way. Her positive, curious, and thoughtful look at the world and life itself was like a cool mountain stream that refreshed me after this exhausting covid-year and the first stressful weeks in my temporary country of residence.

I felt very touched by her work, and so it naturally found its way into my music, which is why I named this orchestra piece on which I was working at the time after her poem „Flare."

Flare (excerpt)

"Did you know that the ant has a tongue

with which to gather in all that it can

of sweetness

Did you know that?"