Vagus (for String Orchestra)

Composer: Soheil Shirangi
Year of Creation: October 2024
With gratitude to: Professor Ben Sabey, for his guidance and encouragement to write and complete this work.

Vagus is a musical reflection on the deep connection between body, emotion, and sound. The title refers to the vagus nerve—a vital part of the parasympathetic nervous system that regulates heartbeat, breathing, digestion, and stress response. This nerve also underlies emotional regulation and empathy, forming a bridge between physiological states and human feeling.

As a composer, I am aware that contemporary music often mirrors both societal issues and personal experiences. In this work, I sought to engage the vagus nerve through sound—to create music that not only stimulates the mind but also resonates through the body. The composition uses one Persian rhythm and melody as a foundation, reshaped and transformed to promote relaxation, emotional connection, and inner balance.

The structure unfolds in two contrasting sections: one explores a deep, transformed state of introspection, while the other reveals an āvāz-like (songful) character—appearing and fading like the rising and setting of light. Rich string harmonics expand the emotional color of the ensemble, weaving tension and release into a meditative flow.

Ultimately, Vagus is both a physiological and emotional journey—an attempt to reach the listener not just through intellect, but through resonance, memory, and the subtle rhythm of the human heart.