Commissioned by James Layton, premiered by the University of Louisville Collegiate Chorale on March 2nd, 2025 under the direction of James Layton in partial fulfillment of his M.M. in Choral Conducting.
The Apostles’ Creed is recited faithfully daily by billions of believers
around the world, and more so than any other poem or prose, there is a spiritual weight behind these words that cannot be overstated. As a lifelong Christian, I felt that weight heavily, and as a result, the writing process turned into an act of religious devotion as well as a musical one. In the daily recitations of the Apostles’ Creed in churches, I fear that the meaning is lost in repetitive mumblings. In this setting, I strove to portray the conviction, majesty, and awe of the Creed as a means of reinvigorating it. May we never grow numb to the love and joy embodied in our faith, and may we never grow weary of working towards the peace that surpasses all understanding. -Benjamin Carter
I believe in God, the Father almighty, maker of heaven and earth; And in Jesus Christ his only Son our Lord; who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried. He descended into hell. The third day he rose again from the dead. He ascended into heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of God the Father almighty. From thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead. I believe in the Holy Ghost, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.