Bend

The text of this powerful choral work is addressed to anyone facing struggles and it presents an honest affirmation that those struggles are real. Rather than deny the existence of problems or pain, the listener is encouraged to "lean into" the hardship, to name it-and to thereby reduce its power. Textually and musically, the listener is presented with the metaphor of a tree-being whipped by the wind but built to bend in that wind, and ultimately withstand the pressure-filled gales. The power of community is also affirmed, as the listener is encouraged to walk alongside and to bend along with their neighbor.