Finished Works
Local and international orchestras were reviewing the compositions when COVID-19 emerged and stole away any opportunity to have the work performed in the usual manner, whether a live performance, concert or recording studio. COVID-19 did much more though. It began and continues to destroy lives, families, change our social mores and beat us down.
There are stories here and abroad of strong leaders inspiring, heroes young and old contributing to our hopes and aspirations.
I finally realized the time had come for me to do my share of inspiring, through music. The method would be nonconventional. I make no apologies and wish to be fully transparent. Using Finale 14.5 and Note Performance music enhancement software, I will make one Movement available for listening approximately each month on my website and YouTube channel.
The complete Millennial Symphony is comprised of four Movements. Movement I is also labeled as Pre COVID-19, to remind us vividly of the way things were with themes of love, strength and happiness. I intend to take the listener through COVID-19 with Movements II and III, with our final emergence to victory with Movement IV.
COVID-19 has taught me humility, but I refuse to surrender my values, my life and everything it means, to an act of nature, a virus. We must return to our values of love, strength and happiness
- אהבה ,כוח ,ושמחה - however long it takes and at whatever cost. Don’t be afraid of this journey.
- אהבה ,כוח ,ושמחה - however long it takes and at whatever cost. Don’t be afraid of this journey.
"CERTAIN THEMES, MELODIES WOULD JUST COME TO ME, AND THEY SOUNDED GOOD." ~ Dr. Arnold Kirshenbaum
Millennial Symphony – Movement #1 Pre COVID-19
COVID-19 begins. No one fully comprehends the devastation, the daily loss of
life at home and abroad. Favorite world centers of culture and history – Italy – suffer
more than most until surpassed by the United States. Numbers of cases everywhere climb daily.
Our first line health providers courageously deal with the critically ill, while we all learn the arduous task of social distancing and covering up. Businesses are strained, in some cases to the breaking point. Some solace is taken watching leaders daily address problems, trying very hard to deal with the sick, prevent more deaths and total financial ruin. And remarkable stories continue to pour in of individuals helping others to cope with and survive this pandemic.
Our first line health providers courageously deal with the critically ill, while we all learn the arduous task of social distancing and covering up. Businesses are strained, in some cases to the breaking point. Some solace is taken watching leaders daily address problems, trying very hard to deal with the sick, prevent more deaths and total financial ruin. And remarkable stories continue to pour in of individuals helping others to cope with and survive this pandemic.
Millennial Symphony – Movement #2 COVID-19 Begins
Darkest Hours. The pandemic continues to ravage world populations, economies and knows no boundaries. We learn that social distancing and masks do work, but we also learn that our friends and family can be asymptomatic and spread this dreaded pestilence. World experts are confounded, sometimes wrong in their predictions, though no fault of their own. So we keep living, keep distancing and hoping for a miracle vaccine. The United States maintains the dubious distinction of having the most cases and deaths from this menace. Unemployment here soars, financial lifelines
from an already stressed economy are provided and are a saving grace for many. Remarkably, we begin slowly to “phase” through this calamity, leaving our homes and returning to society and work. Impatient and misguided individuals fail to heed the warnings and trigger another wave of cases. Gravely unfortunate for us all, unemployment and social distancing stress our system to the limit, triggering a breakdown in law enforcement with unfortunate loss of life and race riots.
Can our society ever withstand and recover?
Many have doubts, but it is not the end. We express hope and have faith in many different ways, but we all marvel as our daily heroes continue to help the poor, the sick, the elderly and anyone in need.
Can our society ever withstand and recover?
Many have doubts, but it is not the end. We express hope and have faith in many different ways, but we all marvel as our daily heroes continue to help the poor, the sick, the elderly and anyone in need.
Millennial Symphony – Movement #3 Darkest Hours
Rescue and Survival. COVID-19 cases initially surge as many defy warnings not to travel and mingle socially. There is no real sign initially of improvement, and COVID-19 leaves behind sickness, overwhelmed hospitals, care centers and a US death toll over 450,000 by February 2021. COVID-19 almost predicts our next moves beginning in the UK and then South Africa, South America and Southern California, with mutant strains more contagious but perhaps not more virulent; other mutants are likely to follow. We have one solid advantage: scientific experts and pharmaceuticals combine and utilize the knowledge gained from, not surprisingly, HIV, CMV, hepatitis and other infections. The inhibitory activity to the SARS-CoV-2 polymerase, a protein used by the SARS-CoV-2 virus to replicate its genome while inside infected human cells, is used to guide, design and synthesize new compounds. Two FDA EUA-approved monoclonal antibody (mab) treatments for COVID-19: bamlanivimab and the antibody combination, casirivimab/imdevimab effectively terminate the polymerase reaction. Anti-inflammation and less so anti-“cytokine storm” becomes the approach for those severely ill, thus dexamethasone and even hydroxychloroquine are used. Operation Warp Speed for multiple vaccine development proceeds rapidly, so by December 2020, completion of Phase III trials demonstrate almost 95% protection clinically, antibody production and T-cell stimulation and safety in volunteers. CDC and FDA approve vaccines in December by Pfizer and Moderna, which begin inoculation of the elderly and first responders. Astra-Zeneca and Johnson & Johnson are not far behind by early February. A new wave of confidence begins that control of this pandemic may be possible, but the journey is still very long.
There are two experts with more extensive knowledge of HIV, CMV, SARS-CoV 1 and now SARS- CoV2, and best able to lead us out of the pandemic: Deborah Birx, MD and Anthony Fauci, MD, the latter with whom I trained in immunology at the NIH. Looking back, SARS-CoV2, the original and any of its mutants, did more than confound experts and test our complex immune systems. SARS-CoV2 proved that the most important infrastructure is OUR infrastructure, not the cyberworld of computer circuits and internet, but the system that keeps us alive and healthy every second of every minute of every day from infectious diseases.
So, for those of us who pray, turn your eyes and minds heavenly and acknowledge how small and dependent each of us truly is, in this infinite universe of ours. To turn back COVID-19, ask for adequate testing, safe and separate places for the sick to recover, adequate national and state stockpiles of PPEs, medications, and of course, vaccinations. Finally, beseech whomever is the recipient of your prayers, for the health, guidance and leadership of our medical and political leaders, so that this pandemic with all its suffering and loss ends in our lifetimes, bringing us all long life, peace and prosperity.
There are two experts with more extensive knowledge of HIV, CMV, SARS-CoV 1 and now SARS- CoV2, and best able to lead us out of the pandemic: Deborah Birx, MD and Anthony Fauci, MD, the latter with whom I trained in immunology at the NIH. Looking back, SARS-CoV2, the original and any of its mutants, did more than confound experts and test our complex immune systems. SARS-CoV2 proved that the most important infrastructure is OUR infrastructure, not the cyberworld of computer circuits and internet, but the system that keeps us alive and healthy every second of every minute of every day from infectious diseases.
So, for those of us who pray, turn your eyes and minds heavenly and acknowledge how small and dependent each of us truly is, in this infinite universe of ours. To turn back COVID-19, ask for adequate testing, safe and separate places for the sick to recover, adequate national and state stockpiles of PPEs, medications, and of course, vaccinations. Finally, beseech whomever is the recipient of your prayers, for the health, guidance and leadership of our medical and political leaders, so that this pandemic with all its suffering and loss ends in our lifetimes, bringing us all long life, peace and prosperity.
Millennial Symphony – Movement #4 Rescue and Survival
March Sousa