listen to the rain
for string quartet, kamele n’goni and voices

Music is a time-based medium and I invite you to an unusual listening experience - over a year. Chinese energetics point us to observe nature, to access the essence of being. listen to the rain results from the study of natural cycles from atom to cosmos, breath to eons, and how they inform our experience of the connection between earth & heaven. Giving you time to listen in a holistic way will illustrate my point. listen to the rain’s 8 movements will be released seasonally. Drops will drop every 45 days, as follows:

W A T E R
December 21st, 2024 (solstice) 

M O  U N T  A I N
February 4th, 2025

T H U N D E R
March 20, 2025 (equinox)

W I N D
May 4th, 2025

F I R E
June 21st, 2025 (solstice)

E A R T H
August 4th, 2025

R A I N
September 20, 2025 (equinox)

S K Y
November 3rd, 2025

That is the timeline for the initiation, based on what Taoists call the earthly order of the 8 forces --  after which, listen to the rain will be available as a whole, in the heavenly order.

This piece is inspired by the Taoist meditation called fusion of the 5 elements, in which the 8 forces of the bagua – and their corresponding trigrams – are called upon to spin around one’s center, where alchemical balancing and refining of the 5 dynamic agents takes place. Within the body, and in harmony with earthly and cosmic realms.The circular structure both contains and emanates these 8 forces, called by their Ancient Chinese names, forming the 8 following movements:

1 kan 坎 – water
drawing a circle 1
2 li 離– fire
drawing a circle 2
3 zhen 震 – thunder
4 dui 兌– rain (marsh, lake)
5 kun 坤 – earth
drawing a circle 3
6 gen 艮 – mountain
7 sun巽 – wind
drawing a circle 4
8 qian 乾 – sky
drawing a circle 5


Anaïs Maviel – composition, n’goni, singing bowl, voice
The Rhythm Method:
Leah Asher – violin, voice
Marina Kifferstein – violin, voice
Carrie Frey – viola, voice
Meaghan Burke – cello, voice

Tuçe Yasak – lighting

listen to the rain by Anaïs Maviel was made possible by a grant from the American Composers Forum with funds provided by the Jerome Foundation.
"mountain" is the one movement for string quartet only. Please inquire for scores.