Dreams of the Child of Light

. For James Pellerite and the Chamber Orchestra of Albuquerque, David Oberg, Conductor, which premiered it with Mr Pellerite on May 9, 2003 in Albuquerque. Instrumentation: Native American flute and strings. Movement Titles "Friendly Traveler," "Sorrows of My People," "Return to Lhasa." ASCAP Title Code: 340706007. Date Composed: 2002. Copyright: 2003 M Mauldin. Duration: 14:20. Score/Parts: Available in rental only from JP-Publications, P.O. Box 7273, Bloomington, IN 47407, www.jamespellerite.com.: Though I have written much music inspired by American Indian culture and beliefs, I wanted to use the charm of the native flute for something even more inclusive--the amazing spiritual depth of children everywhere. What better person could there be to embody that than the world's most cherished child-spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama. After meeting him and discovering that he is just as delightful and full-of-fun in his adulthood, I feel that, even in his mature years, he is indeed still the “child of light.” The first movement refers to the true story of the Austrian, mountain-climber man-friend with whom he became close before having to leave his lofty home in Lhasa. The second movement sees the tragic plight of the Tibetan people through the eyes of a caring youth--one responsible for their spiritual and physical welfare. The third is the vision of a triumphant return to the holy city, a dream that many of us have. Children have a personal interest in peace. Perhaps they actually can lead us there, if we let them.Digitized with funding from the Center for Regional Studies