Program Note

"'Can anything harm us, mother, after the night lights are lit?' 

'Nothing, precious,' she said; 'they are the eyes a mother leaves behind her to guard her children.'"

- J.M Barrie, Peter Pan

Night Lights is a piece about enduring fear, anxiety, and loneliness. The first section lays out a simple, 'starry-eyed' motive in the glockenspiel, full of wonder and naivety. However, something sinister brewing under the shimmer launches into a frantic second section.

Despite the constant hammering of an eighth note pulse, the stabs of dissonance remain unpredictable, and the stress never relents. Every burst of sound is a bomb lighting up the night sky, with the stars now outcompeted. The music eventually scurries to safety and finds a strained quiet, but quiet, nonetheless.

In this third section, soloists cry out into the darkness, hoping to find someone else to hold onto. They are acknowledged either by doom and despair, or nothing at all.

And at last, a glimmer of hope. Rays of light drive away the darkness with the return of the simple, shimmering theme. Back under the light of the stars, the music reaches a true sense of safety at last, and can retreat gently into a peaceful sleep. 

- Edmund Bascon

Night Lights was premiered by the Pacific Wind Bands under the direction of      Dr. Vu Nguyen at Faye Spanos Concert Hall on April 2, 2026. 

This work was conceived in response to various armed conflicts that are, unfortunately, ongoing. I hope the people of Ukraine, Palestine, and Iran can find peace and safety.