Beauty of the Lotus

By Sam Critchley

For Concert Band

To be performed in 2025

Beauty of the Lotus is a 3-movement piece for concert band that explores the complex significance in the unique life of a lotus flower. Please note that this piece is still a draft and has not yet been finalized.

I - This is the story of the life of a lotus flower. It begins as a small seed, which finds shelter in the murky bottom of a small pond. In the darkness, it sprouts its spider-like roots. Many things have died here, and the decomposed remains help to fuel the twisted life that the lotus seeks.

II - After some time, the lotus sprouts its flower. The flower bud fights to rise above the surface of the water, where it blossoms into a mesmerizing array of petals. The lotus plays a unique role in Greek Mythology, where it is consumed by a mythical group of people known as "lotus-eaters". In these stories, the lotus induces a state of apathetic forgetfulness that causes the lotus-eaters to forget their past, including any connection to their homes and loved ones. The flower reaches away from the water and toward the sun, but it will never be free from its dark roots.

III - In spite of its dark upbringing, the lotus brings color and life to the world around it. The lotus's ability to bloom through the murkiness is a perfect example of overcoming adversity and as such, it is seen as a symbol of purity in cultures across the globe. As it reaches the end of its imperfect life, the lotus wilts and loses its vibrant colors. But the lotus lives on through other lotus seeds, which find their own way to bloom in the murky waters of the pond. And the beauty of the lotus lives on through each of our lives, which may be small, imperfect, and full of struggle to find a way in our clouded, murky world. The true beauty of the lotus is to find the beauty in all of this.