Aurora (2025)
(Faith in Harmony)

AURORA: FAITH IN HARMONY

Aurora: Faith in Harmony celebrates the almost universal symbolism of light banishing darkness, perennial in winter festivals around the world. Jessica Duchen’s concept springs from Roxanna Panufnik’s passionate belief in drawing together different spiritual traditions, highlighting common ground to help heal the divisions in our society. Original poems blend with traditional texts, evoking the atmospheres of five festivals from different faiths. The ‘Aurora Borealis’ finale celebrates the secular through the imagery of an awe-inspiring natural phenomenon. 
 
To ensure maximum accuracy and acceptance, we have consulted key advisers within the UK organizations of each faith and their respective devotional musicians, to ensure the authenticity of this festive work. 
 
We are delighted to make three different versions. The largest is for some 300 singers and symphony orchestra. There is also a chamber orchestra version (with fewer singers) and optional parts for children’s choir. The final version is for unison voices and piano. We hope fervently that as many singers and musicians as possible, of all ages and faiths, will perform this work.
 
We are hugely grateful to all our wonderful consultants and advisors (listed below), who have been so patient with us whilst we check and double-check everything with them. And also to our generous co-commissioners who have helped us to bring this project to life over more than 10 years.

1. STAR OF THE SEA: CHRISTMAS. Our journey begins with a Christmas carol, inspired by the ancient Latin plainchant ‘Ave Maris Stella’. The Christmas star lights the way over the darkened seas. The mood is of overwhelming wonder, fervent joy and exultant peals of church bells.

2. PROPHET OF LIGHT: MILAD UN NABI. This festival marking Prophet Muhammad’s birthday is usually celebrated at home with the family and publicly with decorative lights and music after dark. Verses by the 11th-century Sanhaji Sufi Muslim poet Al-Busiri inform this section, the sung melody along with the beautiful Arabic Nahawand Muraṣṣa maqam (scale) and the chant ‘Recitation of Salutations on holy Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon Him’, which can be traced back to the 17th century. This is a quiet, intimate festival, as the same date also commemorates the Prophet’s death. 
 
3. RETURN AND RENEWAL: DIWALI. The Hindu, Jain and Sikh faiths all celebrate Diwali, each investing it with a different significance. Representing the victory of light over darkness, knowledge over ignorance, hope over despair, each version focuses on a tale of return and renewal. The three traditions draw from pan-Indian music and I have used different and appropriate (to each faith) raags (scales) and tabla taals (rhythms) to differentiate between them.

 For the Sikh faith, there is the symbolic celebration of the macrocosm and microcosm. The soulful Ahir-Bhairav raag creates a mystical quality over sung teen taal in ‘bohls’ – the vocal syllables with which tabla and Kathak dance rhythms are traditionally learnt. For the Jain faith, the festival symbolizes the ultimate achieving of the soul’s state of Bliss, accompanied by celestial drums. The music here is in the Yaman raag (coincidentally a scale often used in Polish music, so close to my heart!) and becomes cosmic and lighter, later using the Keherwa taal. In the Hindu festival, the oldest of the three traditions – placed last to form the climax – millions of lights shine around houses and temples. The joyous Bahar raag and returning teen taal ends the movement in a colourful, blazing celebration.
 
4. TOGETHER YEARNING: HANUKKAH. The Jewish festival of light celebrates the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem and recalls a legend in which lamp oil sufficient only for one day lasted for eight in adversity. On the Menorah another candle is lit every sundown for eight nights. The words draw on Psalm 91 and Chanukkah imagery from commentaries on the Torah, plus the intimacy of this joyous, family-based festival. The musical mood starts darkly and references Hebrew chants and modes. But the choruses are ever increasingly bright and rhapsodic, drawing from eastern-European Klezmer music (Mi Shebeyrakh Klezmer mode and Bulgar Klezmer rhythm).
 
5. FROM THE LAND OF SNOW: GADEN NGAMCHOE. On the 25th day of the 10th month of the Tibetan Royal Year, Tibetan Buddhists celebrate Gaden Ngamchoe, marking the passing of the great Tibetan Buddhist master Jé Tsongkhapa Lobsang Dakpa in the 15th century. People meditate and chant a verse/prayer 'Mig-tse-ma' (we use a very old and traditional musical setting) while butter lamps and candles glimmer around houses and monasteries. Long and short horns, oboes and bass drum + cymbal clashes represent a traditional Tibetan Buddhist orchestra.
 
6. MIRACLE OF NATURE: AURORA BOREALIS. An original poem evokes the way that the Northern Lights can cast wonder into the hearts of even the staunchest secularists. The Aurora can be explained, but what the heart perceives still seems miraculous. The grand finale, which starts with an orchestral interlude bringing in strands from each of the earlier movements, unites people of all faiths and none within one giant celebration. 

Jessica Duchen & Roxanna Panufnik
25 July, 2025

CONSULTANTS

CHRISTMAS

Rev. Bonnie Evans-Hills, Priest Scottish Episcopal Church, Executive Committee of the World Congress of Faiths.

MILAD UN NABI

Imam Dr. Sayed Ali Abbas Razawi Director General and Chief Imam Scottish Ahlul Bayt Society; Associate, Project on Shi’sm and Global Affairs; International Ambassador, Religions for Peace; Words and music: Shaykh Faizil Aqtab Siddiqi, Chancellor of Hijaz College Islamic University

DIWALI

Sikh: Jasvir Singh CBE, co-chair of City Sikhs, music: Omleen Ajimal, singer at South London Sikh Gurdwara. Jain: Ashwin Mehta, Trustee, Shrimad Rajchandra Mission Dharampur (UK), music: Vivek Haria, composer & writer. Hindu: Krish Raval, founder director of Faith in Leadership; leadership educator and coach, music: Kartik Raghunathan, violinist and composer.

HANUKKAH

Rabbi Alexandra Wright, Senior Rabbi, Liberal Jewish Synagogue, London; music: Victor Tunkel

GADEN NGAMCHOE

(words and music): Tsering Yangkey, Representative of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Office of Tibet, London; Tenzin Kunga, Secretary, Office of Tibet, London; instrumental music: Jane Rasch and Tibetan Monks from Tashi Lhunpo Monastery India