Qosqo: Spirituality, Process and Structure

Spiritual ideas and practices from the Andes have had a strong influence on the composition of Qosqo. The title, the Quechua word for navel, also refers to an energy vortex like the one that exists at the modern city of Cusco, Peru. This composition attempts to manifest the energetic properties of the vortex, the “qosqo,” in sound. The audience members are encouraged to engage this experience by combining a meditation with their listening. The meditation assists the listener in bringing their mental focus into alignment with the goal of spiritual healing. The process of composing Qosqo was conducted using divination techniques that were also employed with the goal of spiritual healing. Among the sound materials that were utilized in the composition are the songs of a Peruvian shaman-healer that shape pitch and dynamic material but which are never actually heard. The formal structure, which is a product of the divination process, appears to mirror and reinforce the content of the meditation even though no conscious attempt at coordination was attempted.