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cello and processing

Commission: ECM+, with support from the CCA

In 1936, and at the age of twelve, S. was a resident at the Sisters of Saint A. As she had almost no visitors, she watched over the visiting room. Every day, in a small black notebook, she took down her impressions and ideas, as a prelude to immersing herself deeply in books. In this way, her solitude was transformed into a boundless journey in time or space. When she was not reading, she sang. In the moments of silence that came as guests left the visiting room, as the faithful emptied the chapel, as individuals withdrew from the garden… she was sometimes gripped by sudden dizzy spells, brought on by the jolt of a poetic passage, story, musical work—urgent cries towards somewhere else. It has been many years since S. left us. This work echoes the giddiness of a young girl who lived elsewhere.

• Score available at CMC, Région du Québec.
• Recording: available at SMCQ’s office