Bakunawa (The Serpent and the Seven Moons)

Based on the Filipino mythology of the Bakunawa, the dragon (or serpent, depending on which region in the Philippines) who swallowed six of the seven moons out of anger. In this rendition, I hoped to encapsulate the emotions of the dragon when she finds out that her turtle sister was killed, causing her to eat the moons.

This composition was originally sent to the National Choral Composition Competition in New Zealand in 2024. It was submitted to the Under 25 Years Category and was Commended. The judging panel described it as "very atmospheric, with many mood changes; some wonderful textures and very powerful choral moments."

Bakunawa is available for reading and perusal. Performances are only permitted with the composer's explicit permission.

Bakunawa (Garamond).pdf

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