My Endless Journey

<p><em>My Endless Journey </em>is a memoir about honouring the life of a beloved daughter <strong>Jennifer Bates</strong> through <strong>music</strong>. With reflections about <strong>grief</strong> loss and happy times shared the story documents the journey of a concertgoer into a previously unknown world of commissioning a piece of music. In collaboration with <strong>Musica Viva</strong> a <strong>guitar</strong> quintet<strong> was composed by Carl Vine</strong> AO. The work is titled <strong><em>Endless</em></strong> after the Buddhist symbol of the endless knot that reflects the interconnectedness of all things a symbol strongly associated with Jennifer. As a Musica Viva program the work was premiered in performances across Australia by guitarist <strong>Karin Schaupp</strong> and the <strong>Flinders Quartet</strong> in 2023<strong>.  </strong>Including disappointments due to COVID delays this story follows how the author chose to honour life rather than suffer <strong>grief</strong>. In so doing the interconnections made while following the musicians on tour became a profoundly moving experience for everyone involved.</p>