The Universe Within Us was written for the University of Toronto Concert Orchestra (UTCO), an undergraduate ensemble at U of T, under the direction of Paul Widner. It was premiered in Walter Hall at the U of T Faculty of Music on March 31st, 2016.

I had in my mind two ideas or images. One was a sort of fanciful image (not at all scientific) of the micro- structure of the human body; those inner-workings that are happening on a cellular, molecular, or even atomic level. I imagined zooming in by orders of magnitude to find that at every level there is a universe of activity going on.

The other idea was simply a reflection on the complex emotional states of humans. The idea that at any given moment there is a spectrum of potentially contradictory emotions unfolding; how quickly they morph from one to the next, or overlap with one another.

Each of these ideas led me to the title 'The Universe Within Us'.

I worked with the UTCO for about 5 months and felt that I really got to know each person in the group. I wanted to write a piece that would be challenging for them and reflect something of their personalities. Working with them also got me thinking about my own journey as a musician, and, dare I say it, having some nostalgia for my undergraduate days. So, 'The Universe Within Us' is joyful, full of excitement, with a hint of the bittersweet.