Island Prayers live performance
By David Balakrishnan, for string quartet. Improvisation required. Length 15:00
“Balakrishnan’s turbulent, Bartokian, three-movement title track is dramatic and dissonant while feeling comfortable, like a well-told tale.”
-Greg Cahill, Strings Magazine May-June 2026
As heard on Island Prayers
Island Prayers is inspired by an imagined painful disagreement between two parties, both of whom are well-meaning and intelligent, but caught up in a passionate conflict, with much on the line. Despite the seemingly insurmountable circumstances, in their heart of hearts they mean no harm and want the best, which leads them through a process that I envisioned in three stages.
Focused on their own oppositional story, they try to make their points over the top of each other; yet through all the noisiness, there is some capacity to listen. Here and there sudden unexpected ideas appear, generated by the energy of the conflict, like rocket fuel launching a missile; they come together for brief startling moments, then retreat to their entrenched viewpoints. At a certain point, reaching a peak of intensity, they have exhausted themselves, and the possibility of resolution makes its first appearance.
The dust settled down, minds and hearts can begin to open, deeper levels of hurt rise to surface. Some intense anger is there but now is more a plaintive cry of deep wrenching pain, exposed vulnerability. There is a sense of mystery in this space, uncharted waters.
Finally reaching a tipping point where authentic heartfelt forgiveness can manifest, there is the sudden realization that there is in truth nothing to forgive, it was all innocent confusion; laughter and joy spontaneously pour forth. Sharing, rejoicing, relaxing, celebration, ending in the sweetest state of blissful connected peace.
The choice of movement titles was modeled on John Coltrane’s similar one word ‘biblical’ terms he used for the movements of his masterpiece, “A Love Supreme.”