This Moment In Time – 6 | 21 | 21 | 12 | 00 was composed to commemorate the event, “Make Music Day 2021: This Moment In Time,” in which performers all around the world joined together to play large gongs for an hour at noon local time on June 21 – the summer solstice. Premiered that summer day at the Thalden Pavilion at The Farm at SOU, This Moment In Time – 6 | 21 | 21 | 12 | 00 is an hour-long composition for solo large gong, performed from a graphic, animated score and using the numbers from the dates and time as compositional elements. Its intention is to express loss, hope, and the exhilaration of the gong’s mysterious sounds in promoting healing.

The “This Moment In Time” initiative was created to “mark the losses of the pandemic, but also the beginning of a new era in sight.” That “new era” didn’t materialize as soon as expected, and now over two years later at this moment in time, while the pandemic has officially ended, our paths continue to swerve through times of sickness and health, joy and sorrow, indescribable acts of cruelty around the world, but also hopeful moments of compassion and beauty. I share this piece as a beacon of hope that we can immerse ourselves in the resonance of the gong as inspiration to embrace empathy, compassion, and hope for our collective future.

In that spirit, one of my most inspirational and dear friends, renowned artist Betty LaDuke, attended the 2021 premiere and was inspired by the performance and the round shape of the large gong, and immediately began her Turtle Wisdom series of works which now number nearly 30. These beautiful pieces have in turn inspired me to compose a new work, Full Circle: Turtle Wisdom, for gong orchestra performing from projected artwork/graphic scores (Betty's Turtles), to be premiered in Fall, 2024 during Betty’s exhibition at SOU’s Stevenson Union Gallery. What an honor and delight for me! — Terry Longshore