This I Must Abide

"As one year ends and another begins, I find myself reflecting on everything I gained and lost throughout. In the blink of an eye, my life has created monumental mountains and valleys, both of want and of plenty. In the eternal search for my artistic voice, I found myself one night writing what I hope never turns to prophecy: a lament for my closest companions. Some create art for their soulmate, some their mother; this time, I made it for my cats, Bing and Duke."

-Rike Robinson, program notes of This I Must Abide, 2023.

I lost Duke very suddenly in 2024, about a year or so after I "finished" this piece. All at once, the music became so much more than an ode to my pets - it was about reaching for a connection you can never quite grasp again. I picked the project up again and infused it with those new feelings, turning it into more a piece of performance art. The version available for purchase includes the more traditional recital setup- solo baritone voice with piano accompaniment. However, I've also included the 2024 edition embedded here to give a better idea of how I conceptualize the piece nowadays.