Io, Io! portrays the joys that we experience, from brief moments of delight to a more transcendent, spiritual peace. The first section of Io, Io!, is a joyful celebration in an energetic, excited style, using an excerpt of Philipp Nicolai’s In dulci jubilo. The second section is a loose translation of Nicolai’s text that draws on 1 Cor. 2:9 - no one has seen or heard what God prepares for those who love him - these words are sung with increasing anticipation and hope. The final vocalise is an expression of joy connecting these ideas musically, suggesting that the joy that no one has yet seen or heard might be ours right now, connecting our fleeting joy living in this beautiful world to the joy of a perfect, eternal future. Io, Io! is dedicated to Paula Kremer and the Vancouver Cantata Singers with admiration and gratitude.