We, At Last

WE, AT LAST

When the darkness gets too much, seeps into my bones, tramples my light, I cave inward, I contract, brace for the blackest memories that cut my heart.

Bereft of hope, listless in body and mind, tears pelt the cold unyielding ground. Where is the love, where is the light? Where is the love, where is the light?

The child has all the wisdom and benevolence, now we must unlearn judgement and ignorance. What we mock and bully comes closest to radiance. What we wound and sully comes closest to holiness.

I awake limb by limb as soft tears wash my face, first I whisper to myself, then I howl at the darkness: Where is the love, where is the light? Where is the love, where is the light?

Can you see me, can you know me, can you love me like yourself? Can I see you, can I know you, can I love you like myself?

Come close, do not pull away. Look into my eyes, do not look away. Speak your truth with kindness, rid yourself of fear, listen with humility, let it in and really hear.

There is one truth for all the human race: We need light and air, water and our daily bread. When we let the faintest light spread warmth through our hearts, I will see you, you will see me, I will know you, you will know me, I will love you, you will love me. Our hands and hearts entwined, you and me, We, at last, wholly, holy radiant Light.

• Nadja Halilbegovich, April 2026

Commissioned in celebration of Dr. Eric Stark and his 25 years of inspired leadership as Artistic Director of the Indianapolis Symphonic Choir

This work is commissioned by the Indianapolis Symphonic Choir and dedicated to their artistic director Dr. Eric Stark in celebration of his 25th anniversary with the ensemble.

It has been a great joy to know Eric now for nearly fifteen years, as he was one of the first colleagues I met when I moved to Indiana in 2012. In all of our interactions, I have been moved by his generosity, his kindness, his professionalism, and his care for all people. He is a man of sincere integrity, and he also demonstrates a consistent and deep empathy—something that serves him well as a leader of choruses and a model for singers. This empathy also came through in the way he wanted this commission in his honor to proceed.

While teaching at Butler, Eric had the chance to meet and know Nadja Halilbegovich, a writer, speaker, and tireless advocate for peace who endured the war in Bosnia as a child. As a student at Butler, Nadja was in Eric’s classes and sang in his choirs. (She would eventually go on to receive an honorary doctorate from Butler.) Naturally, Eric has been continually inspired by Nadja’s story, and when the Indianapolis Symphonic Choir wanted to commission a work in his honor, he thought immediately of engaging Nadja to create the text.

We, At Last is no ordinary Christmas commission—you won’t find sleigh bells and holiday carols here. Instead, Nadja’s original poetry leans into the duality of darkness and light that is inherent in the season’s imagery and mythology—the isolation and rejection, the despair and betrayal—one has to think simply of the original Nativity story to realize that it wasn’t all rainbows and butterflies for Mary, Joseph, and the baby Jesus. They were refugees who had to shelter in a stable: no one would take them in.

Nadja’s words here reflect her own personal story, wrestling with the darkness she has witnessed in her life, while also finding the hope and light that emerges out of a weathered resilience, the belief that the world can be better, if we work to make it so.

It has been my sincere honor to create this new work for my friend, Eric Stark, and I humbly dedicate it to him in thanksgiving for the light he has brought and continues to bring into the lives of everyone he touches.

-- Dominick DiOrio, July 2026

Instrumentation

Flute 1, 2

Oboe 1, 2

Clarinet in Bb 1,2

Bassoon 1,2

Horn in F 1, 2, 3, 4

Trumpet in Bb 1, 2

Trombone 1, 2

Bass Trombone

Tuba

Percussion 1: Timpani (three drums: low G#2, high E3)

Percussion 2: Suspended Cymbal, Crotales (full octave set, C to C)

Harp

SATB Mixed Chorus (with occasional divisi)

String Orchestra – minimum string count: 65432

Performance Considerations

• There are a few soprano high notes for the mixed chorus that should be sung by just a few singers, at the director’s discretion.

• If not otherwise noted for a single player, unison lines in the wind and brass parts may be performed by both players in the section.

WE, AT LAST

When the darkness gets too much, seeps into my bones, tramples my light, I cave inward, I contract, brace for the blackest memories that cut my heart.

Bereft of hope, listless in body and mind, tears pelt the cold unyielding ground. Where is the love, where is the light? Where is the love, where is the light?

The child has all the wisdom and benevolence, now we must unlearn judgement and ignorance. What we mock and bully comes closest to radiance. What we wound and sully comes closest to holiness.

I awake limb by limb as soft tears wash my face, first I whisper to myself, then I howl at the darkness: Where is the love, where is the light? Where is the love, where is the light?

Can you see me, can you know me, can you love me like yourself? Can I see you, can I know you, can I love you like myself?

Come close, do not pull away. Look into my eyes, do not look away. Speak your truth with kindness, rid yourself of fear, listen with humility, let it in and really hear.

There is one truth for all the human race: We need light and air, water and our daily bread. When we let the faintest light spread warmth through our hearts, I will see you, you will see me, I will know you, you will know me, I will love you, you will love me. Our hands and hearts entwined, you and me, We, at last, wholly, holy radiant Light.

• Nadja Halilbegovich, April 2026

Commissioned in celebration of Dr. Eric Stark and his 25 years of inspired leadership as Artistic Director of the Indianapolis Symphonic Choir

This work is commissioned by the Indianapolis Symphonic Choir and dedicated to their artistic director Dr. Eric Stark in celebration of his 25th anniversary with the ensemble.

It has been a great joy to know Eric now for nearly fifteen years, as he was one of the first colleagues I met when I moved to Indiana in 2012. In all of our interactions, I have been moved by his generosity, his kindness, his professionalism, and his care for all people. He is a man of sincere integrity, and he also demonstrates a consistent and deep empathy—something that serves him well as a leader of choruses and a model for singers. This empathy also came through in the way he wanted this commission in his honor to proceed.

While teaching at Butler, Eric had the chance to meet and know Nadja Halilbegovich, a writer, speaker, and tireless advocate for peace who endured the war in Bosnia as a child. As a student at Butler, Nadja was in Eric’s classes and sang in his choirs. (She would eventually go on to receive an honorary doctorate from Butler.) Naturally, Eric has been continually inspired by Nadja’s story, and when the Indianapolis Symphonic Choir wanted to commission a work in his honor, he thought immediately of engaging Nadja to create the text.

We, At Last is no ordinary Christmas commission—you won’t find sleigh bells and holiday carols here. Instead, Nadja’s original poetry leans into the duality of darkness and light that is inherent in the season’s imagery and mythology—the isolation and rejection, the despair and betrayal—one has to think simply of the original Nativity story to realize that it wasn’t all rainbows and butterflies for Mary, Joseph, and the baby Jesus. They were refugees who had to shelter in a stable: no one would take them in.

Nadja’s words here reflect her own personal story, wrestling with the darkness she has witnessed in her life, while also finding the hope and light that emerges out of a weathered resilience, the belief that the world can be better, if we work to make it so.

It has been my sincere honor to create this new work for my friend, Eric Stark, and I humbly dedicate it to him in thanksgiving for the light he has brought and continues to bring into the lives of everyone he touches.

-- Dominick DiOrio, July 2026

Instrumentation

Flute 1, 2

Oboe 1, 2

Clarinet in Bb 1,2

Bassoon 1,2

Horn in F 1, 2, 3, 4

Trumpet in Bb 1, 2

Trombone 1, 2

Bass Trombone

Tuba

Percussion 1: Timpani (three drums: low G#2, high E3)

Percussion 2: Suspended Cymbal, Crotales (full octave set, C to C)

Harp

SATB Mixed Chorus (with occasional divisi)

String Orchestra – minimum string count: 65432

Performance Considerations

• There are a few soprano high notes for the mixed chorus that should be sung by just a few singers, at the director’s discretion.

• If not otherwise noted for a single player, unison lines in the wind and brass parts may be performed by both players in the section.