Music to Hub prof’s ears as song sung at funeral
A Boston Conservatory professor had no idea his music would be played at President George H.W. Bush’s funeral Wednesday — he found out in a text message from a friend.
“It was a complete surprise to me … I was thrilled,” said Kevin Siegfried, a professor at the Boston Conservatory at Berklee.
The piece titled “Lay Me Low” from the series “Shaker Songs“was performed Wednesday morning by the Armed Forces Chorus as part of the musical prelude preceding the reception of the president’s casket.
“I certainly never imagined that it would arrive on a stage like this and be used to honor the life of a president,” said Siegfried, who describes the refrain as “a call to humility and silencing the ego.”
Siegfried composed the piece in 1998 and said it’s one of his most performed and recorded songs.
“I was deeply humbled and honored, and it’s certainly one of those moments I was just a little speechless about,” Siegfried said. “Your music is out in the world, and sometimes you find out about performances that just blow you away.”
Siegfried missed the performance of the piece yesterday morning while he was teaching a class, but said he plans to watch it online and write a letter to the director of the Armed Forces Chorus expressing his gratitude.
“To know that people turn to your music at a time like this is a wonderful thing,” said Siegfried.
Siegfried found a love for music early in life when he started singing in a church choir at age 10. He continued to follow his passion throughout his life, studying in Paris, India and at the New England Conservatory, where he earned a doctor of music arts degree in composition.
His previous teaching experience includes Harvard University, the New England Conservatory and the University of Iowa.
“I always come back to the human voice. The voice is the most expressive instrument, and that’s why I write so much choral music,” said Siegfried.
Yesterday’s musical prelude also included “Hymn to the Fallen” and “America the Beautiful,” both performed by the Armed Forces Chorus and the United States Marine Orchestra.