Day 24-Starry Ocean (2024)—Shuying Li
June 24, 2025
Recording:
In the summer of 2022, my family and I took a vacation to Orlando, Florida. While Universal Studios and VelociCoaster (one of my favorites) were the driving force, the most unforgettable moment wasn’t on land. It was a midnight bioluminescent kayak trip in Titusville. The ocean was pitch black, except for the bursts of glowing algae that lit up with every paddle stroke. Frolicking dolphins and curious manatees nudged our boats from below. That surreal encounter came rushing back to me when I heard Shuying Li’s Starry Ocean. Though the piece portrays a descent into the deep sea, and I was merely skimming its surface, the sonic parallels were striking—both experiences were driven by wonder, darkness, and light.
The music mirrors this aquatic journey. The opening hovers near the surface, wave-like, shimmering. Then the descent begins. Cascades of metallic percussion evoke light flickering through water. In contrast, the low winds descend with each phrase, like a submersible slowly sinking into the depths. You can almost imagine peering out a porthole as marine life illuminates the darkness. The pressure increases, and so does the music’s intensity. At the piece’s climax, its deepest point, light still exists, represented by sharp, articulated flute and trumpet lines that shimmer like bioluminescence in the blackness.
Then, we rise. A swirl of aleatoric textures creates a sensation of bubbling motion. The music lifts quickly, within 30 seconds or so, like an emotional exhale. It’s not a scientific reenactment, but rather a musical impression of an aquatic journey. The return to the surface feels euphoric, and in its brief ascent, the piece leaves you breathless and in astonishment
Starry Ocean would pair beautifully with Johan De Meij’s Aquarium for a concert exploring the mysteries and marvels beneath the sea. But on its own, this work stands as a testament to Shuying Li’s vivid imagination and masterful orchestration. It reminds us how powerfully music can awaken memory, emotion, and awe, all without a single word.