Dove

“Dove” is a cinematic piece I composed for a 22-piece string ensemble, deeply inspired by director Kim Geldenhuys’ short film The Little Match Girl (2022). The title carries a very personal meaning for me. While cycling home from the academy on a cold autumn afternoon, I discovered a weak, immobile pigeon stranded on the side of the street. I tucked the bird inside my jacket, keeping it warm until it regained the strength to fly away. Though I don’t know if it lived long after, this small act ensured that the creature would not perish alone on the cold street like the little girl in the story. Moving fluidly between haunting isolation and breathtaking warmth, I wrote the strings of “Dove” to capture both the heartbreaking tragedy of the film and this fragile moment of compassion.