The plight of children in war zones is a natural cause for John Pietrzyk. Born in Germany right after WWII, his parents and grandparents were refugees, first in Poland and then in the United States. Many years later, that experience was the impetus for a UNICEF benefit concert featuring a newly composed choral work on Feb. 15 at St. Thomas Episcopal Church, Sunnyvale.
“As a child, I had an intimate knowledge of war [from my parents and grandparents] — being bombed, losing homes, life savings, everything,” Pietrzyk said. “If you’ve been traumatized as a child, it doesn’t leave you as an adult.”
After living in UC Berkeley’s International House and serving in the Peace Corps, Pietrzyk realized how much good work the United Nations does in the world and became a lifelong supporter.
“Since WWII, there have been 200 armed conflicts,” he said. “One in six children on the planet are being impacted by these conflicts.”
Last year was the “worst year” for children caught in warring regions in UNICEF’s history, the agency reported in December.
“The U.N. is trying to reduce the trauma to children,” said Pietrzyk. “All of the NGOs that help children were saying that the funding for this work is down, so we decided to do something.”
The “something” that Pietrzyk and his wife Patricia — music director at St. Thomas — decided to do was to give a gift to the community to raise awareness and money for helping children in the world’s war-torn regions. They commissioned a new choral work, Requiem, by Santa Clara composer Benjamin Belew.
Belew is a multidisciplinary artist — a composer, visual artist, filmmaker, playwright and poet. He composed both Requiem’s music and texts.
A native of Indiana, the Japanese-American Belew grew up in a Navy family, moving between Japan and the U.S., ultimately landing in Santa Clara about 15 years ago. Belew began studying music when he was nine, although he is largely self-taught. He describes his style as “neo-classical,” built on the familiar forms and sounds of European music but incorporating contemporary styles and international instruments and sonorities.
Belew has composed for the St. Thomas choir before, most recently an Easter Cantata. Following that, Pietryzk talked to Belew about an original composition focused on children caught up in wars. Belew began composing last summer, finishing the work shortly before Christmas. He describes it as “a requiem sung to all lost and destroyed innocence.”
The eight-movement work for choir, organ and soloists is written from the perspective of a child, explains Belew.
“I wanted to build the story through the eyes of a child,” said Belew.
Hence, the boy soloist who sings throughout Requiem. The different movements progress from recalling a beautiful day in the life of a child — the last day, it becomes clear — the coming of trouble, an explosion, and the ultimate rebirth of hope.
“If you heard one word and it was ‘happy,’ but someone said it in a threatening way, there would be a disconnect, and that’s what I think happens for a child,” Belew said. “Even if you survive your childhood, we all bear scars from it. You make peace with the fact that there are no answers.”
“The music is contemporary and neoclassical, full-bodied,” said tenor Finn Gee, who sang in Belew’s Christmas Cantata. “That was a great experience.”
When Belew asked Gee to sing in Requiem, the tenor was happy to work with the composer again.
“The piece is very complex, and rhythmically challenging,” Gee continued. “It’s been very challenging. But I’ve enjoyed learning and growing musically.”
Requiem will premiere Saturday, Feb. 15, at St. Thomas Episcopal Church, 231 Sunset Ave. Sunnyvale. Suggested donation is $40 adults, $25 students.
Belew produces regular concerts at St. Thomas to benefit local charities and support local performers. For more information, visit stthomas-svale.org. You can hear more of Belew’s music at https://www.youtube.com/@mephistoape.
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