Radiant Samadhi: Choral Book

Radiant Samadhi brings a genuinely fresh harmonic and textural palette to the mixed choir repertoire. Ung's compositional voice refuses to settle into predictable harmonic progressions or familiar choral gestures, instead creating a soundworld that rewards careful listening and engagement from both singers and audience. Programming this piece signals to your ensemble and concert attendees that your choir explores contemporary music beyond the standard art song and folk arrangement fare.

Radiant Samadhi evokes luminosity and meditation rather than dramatic intensity. The piece creates an immersive sonic environment where timbre and texture take precedence; listeners experience a kind of sustained focus and introspection. The musical language is contemporary yet rooted in something spiritual and ancient, producing a soundworld that feels both unfamiliar and oddly grounded.

This choral book is designed for mixed choirs comfortable with contemporary classical music and extended vocal techniques. Directors working with advanced high school, college, or community ensembles will find a work that challenges singers musically and opens ears to non-Western harmonic systems and compositional approaches.

• Pay close attention to dynamic and textural shifts; Ung often uses changes in vocal density and register to shape form rather than relying on traditional harmonic cadences. Rehearse sections in isolation to clarify where the musical weight should sit.
• Approach any extended or unconventional vocal techniques with precision during early rehearsals. Ung's use of timbre is compositional intent, not notation flourish, so commit to whatever techniques the score requires.
• Balance individual voice part independence against the overall sonic blend. Even when parts move independently, the composite sound should feel coherent rather than fragmented.
• Let silence and space be as important as sound. Contemporary choral writing often uses negative space strategically; resisting the urge to fill every moment will serve the music.

Consider pairing Radiant Samadhi with other contemporary works that expand harmonic or textural vocabulary, or program it as a centerpiece of a concert devoted to music inspired by non-Western traditions and spiritual themes. The 52-page score allows for substantial programming weight; it can anchor a set of diverse choral works or stand as part of a larger concert that juxtaposes classical and contemporary repertoire.

• Reading and performing contemporary harmonic language and non-traditional chord structures
• Executing extended vocal techniques with precision and intentionality
• Balancing independent voice part movement while maintaining ensemble cohesion
• Interpreting notational symbols and compositional directions beyond standard musical vocabulary
• Listening actively to timbre and texture as primary compositional elements