How do you write an Easter Oratorio for five soloists, accompaniment and choir, at times nine parts deep? At the age of five, sitting under the family's upright piano, listening to Rachmaninoff, Desiree Goyette may not have imagined composing the 40 minute, jubilant arrangement, but she was setting her destiny in motion.

Desiree used music to shine light in her family's home and hearts. From there, Desiree entered into a lifelong journey of studies and growth and a career as a musician, actress, composer, producer and "herself." Early on she staged a One Woman Show at the San Jose Center for the Performing Arts, then worked as a musician, voice-over artist and associate producer on 25 Charlie Brown television specials and 125 Garfield cartoons, and in other movies and television productions for which she received 2 Grammy nominations.

When her mother and brother contracted cancer, she turned to spiritual music and founded Lightchild Publishing http://www.lightchild.com/listen.html to produce a series of recordings.

For Easter 2000, Unity in Marin asked Desiree to come up with something special. She wrote down passages from the four accounts of the Gospels, then closed the Book and began to write. "I like to feel inspired and to have my pencil not keep up with what's flowing in. I'd throw pages on the floor and write the next one. I began at the beginning and wrote straight through, going back just for little changes."

Sub-titles of the work take you through the story: If I Be Lifted Up; Fear and Envy; Let Not Your Heart Be Troubled; Let the Cup Pass; The Betrayal; Darkness Into Light; The Brightness of His Rising; He Is Risen; If I Be Lifted Up.

To Desiree, the story of the crucifixion is told only to point out that in the end it is all about the Resurrection. "For me, the Resurrection goes on daily when we are inspired; when we are lifting up our thoughts away from where the world might be presenting us. It is imagining that there is something higher and holier and sacred in every moment if we choose to take that step back and lift our consciousness to that."

"This idea resonated for me when Jesus says to all his disciples, 'You and I be lifted up. I shall draw all men to me.' Take the egotistical aspect away, I is the Absolute Consciousness and Divine Presence, God or Spirit." She wanted to bring people into the idea that as Jesus left His consciousness, He was lifted up. "It wasn't by Jesus' crucifixion that He inspired people. Life is eternal. It isn't the physical. 'Trusting in the Spirit gently, I arise far from the earth,' from physicality thinking, far from fear. 'I inspire all to come unto me.' Walk in darkness but be in light."

Early on in the oratorio is the phrase, "except a corn of wheat fall to the ground it abideth alone, but if it die it bringeth forth much fruit." Desiree explains: "There is something in going to the lowest possible space, Jesus was crucified, how low can you get. He went where He needed to go in order to prove the absolute highest ideal. I feel he lived for us rather than died for us. His whole life is testimony to. You aren't lowly sinners. I'm doing this to show you that you're children of light, not of darkness. If we all loved, we wouldn't need rules. We would all be obeying the Ten Commandments because it's natural and born of love to relieve our detriments."

Desiree writes from a place of interfaith inclusion. "I don't want to dishonor any religion because I find truth in every one I've been exposed to. I view the listener and the members of the choir as disciples in Jesus' pure teachings." Many practice Buddhism, Sufism, and other faiths and also believe in Jesus.

Typical of Christian Science interpretations, in the opening and closing Desiree created a juxtaposition of the masculine and feminine with voices, and of the metaphysical and biblical with words. She says, "With music you can hear both side by side.

Desiree says that the words dictated the styles of music she chose. Again, with a sense of inclusion, she wrote a Bach-like fugue, Stravinsky-like percussion, some Gershwin, some Gospel. This conveys all the more color, surprise and appeal. The music and lyrics take you through the Easter story on waves of emotion, without instilling fear, guilt or shame, ending in joy and exhilaration.

"If I Be Lifted Up" is the zenith of Desiree's studies, explorations, and adaptations. Desiree lives her music, which she has merged with her spirituality and personal philosophy. "If I Be Lifted Up: An Easter Oratorio" is the expression of her deepest loves; dedication to her art, talent and family; and her nonjudgmental love for all.

Desiree married Ed Bogas in 1998, also an award winning musician, composer and producer. Desiree says of their 7 year-old twins, Lily and Ben, "from the smallest step to the grandest achievement, how blessed we are to partake of this mysterious and marvelous experience."

To learn more about Desiree read the full-length article http://www.spiritlinksnewsletter.org/10.Easter.htm. To hear samples of her music go to Lightchild Publishing http://www.lightchild.com/listen.html. For more about Ed Bogas see my article Rule Number Six http://www.spiritlinksnewsletter.org/36.EdB.htm.

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© Diana deRegnier 2009