Welcoming Spring is an orchestral overture to the arrival of Spring, which is the most auspicious time of the year according to I Ching (Book of Changes), an ancient Chinese manual of divination. Terminology such as “Swallows Arrive”, “Thunder Starts Resounding”, and “Beginning of Lightning” are used to depict the vitality in the air. As snow starts to melt, flowers start to bloom, and birds are returning, these are the first signs of spring, it brings a sense of hope, rejuvenation, and fresh feelings. “The beautiful spring came, and when nature resumes her loveliness, the human soul is apt to revive also.”— Harriet Ann Jacobs.

The composer would like to thank Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra for commissioning this work for the 2023 Year of the Monkey.