Saint Aidan's Prayer
SSA Chorus a capella (2024) - c. 3.5'
Music by Anna Olson
Text by Aidan of Lindisfarne
This setting of St. Aidan’s Prayer was inspired by my love for the simple beauty of this text. From my first interaction with this prayer, I resonated deeply with the ebb and flow of its words and depiction of quiet connection with God. Written by Aidan of Lindisfarne, a 7th-century Irish bishop, monk and missionary to Northumbria, this text encapsulates the focus of his life—one dedicated to cultivating stillness and prayer and serving those around him. Lindisfarne, where Saint Aidan lived, is a tidal island only accessible at low tide, and his text focuses on this unique feature and the solitude it offers throughout. After searching for and finding few existing musical settings of this text, I was inspired to attempt creating my own piece. I aimed to evoke a sense of both seeking and contentment in this setting while also capturing the experience of looking out over an ocean—moments of rolling movement paired with glimpses of tranquility. At key points, the voices come together in unison, symbolizing the gathering of one’s thoughts into the single focus of prayer. —Anna Olson
Anna Olson grew up in Portland, Oregon, where she currently lives and directs choir at the Eastern Orthodox Church of the Annunciation. After completing degrees in Music and Spanish at George Fox University, she attended the Saint Tikhon’s Music Residency Program to immerse herself in Orthodox Christian sacred music, and where she studied choral composition with Benedict Sheehan. St. Aidan’s Prayer was Anna’s very first composition, and she is honored to have it published through Artefact. Anna draws creative inspiration from the beauty she encounters in nature and in the depth and richness of her Orthodox Christian faith, always striving to capture these elements and present them in new and thoughtful ways.
SSA Chorus a capella (2024) - c. 3.5'
Music by Anna Olson
Text by Aidan of Lindisfarne
This setting of St. Aidan’s Prayer was inspired by my love for the simple beauty of this text. From my first interaction with this prayer, I resonated deeply with the ebb and flow of its words and depiction of quiet connection with God. Written by Aidan of Lindisfarne, a 7th-century Irish bishop, monk and missionary to Northumbria, this text encapsulates the focus of his life—one dedicated to cultivating stillness and prayer and serving those around him. Lindisfarne, where Saint Aidan lived, is a tidal island only accessible at low tide, and his text focuses on this unique feature and the solitude it offers throughout. After searching for and finding few existing musical settings of this text, I was inspired to attempt creating my own piece. I aimed to evoke a sense of both seeking and contentment in this setting while also capturing the experience of looking out over an ocean—moments of rolling movement paired with glimpses of tranquility. At key points, the voices come together in unison, symbolizing the gathering of one’s thoughts into the single focus of prayer. —Anna Olson
Anna Olson grew up in Portland, Oregon, where she currently lives and directs choir at the Eastern Orthodox Church of the Annunciation. After completing degrees in Music and Spanish at George Fox University, she attended the Saint Tikhon’s Music Residency Program to immerse herself in Orthodox Christian sacred music, and where she studied choral composition with Benedict Sheehan. St. Aidan’s Prayer was Anna’s very first composition, and she is honored to have it published through Artefact. Anna draws creative inspiration from the beauty she encounters in nature and in the depth and richness of her Orthodox Christian faith, always striving to capture these elements and present them in new and thoughtful ways.
SSA Chorus a capella (2024) - c. 3.5'
Music by Anna Olson
Text by Aidan of Lindisfarne
This setting of St. Aidan’s Prayer was inspired by my love for the simple beauty of this text. From my first interaction with this prayer, I resonated deeply with the ebb and flow of its words and depiction of quiet connection with God. Written by Aidan of Lindisfarne, a 7th-century Irish bishop, monk and missionary to Northumbria, this text encapsulates the focus of his life—one dedicated to cultivating stillness and prayer and serving those around him. Lindisfarne, where Saint Aidan lived, is a tidal island only accessible at low tide, and his text focuses on this unique feature and the solitude it offers throughout. After searching for and finding few existing musical settings of this text, I was inspired to attempt creating my own piece. I aimed to evoke a sense of both seeking and contentment in this setting while also capturing the experience of looking out over an ocean—moments of rolling movement paired with glimpses of tranquility. At key points, the voices come together in unison, symbolizing the gathering of one’s thoughts into the single focus of prayer. —Anna Olson
Anna Olson grew up in Portland, Oregon, where she currently lives and directs choir at the Eastern Orthodox Church of the Annunciation. After completing degrees in Music and Spanish at George Fox University, she attended the Saint Tikhon’s Music Residency Program to immerse herself in Orthodox Christian sacred music, and where she studied choral composition with Benedict Sheehan. St. Aidan’s Prayer was Anna’s very first composition, and she is honored to have it published through Artefact. Anna draws creative inspiration from the beauty she encounters in nature and in the depth and richness of her Orthodox Christian faith, always striving to capture these elements and present them in new and thoughtful ways.
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