Ave verum corpus in F

Composer: Ko Matsushita
Words from composer:

This piece was dedicated to the 1st Asia Pacific Catholic University Choral Symposium, held in Hong Kong on June 20, 2026, and performed as a world premiere in the closing concert of the symposium.
Its world premiere was performed jointly by university choirs from Hong Kong, the Philippines, Timor-Leste, and Taiwan, under the composer’s own direction.
The melody that serves as the work’s main theme represents divine grace, and its motivic movement—reappearing throughout in shifting rhythms and a variety of keys—governs the piece as a whole. At the premiere, the concert hall of the Tsuen Wan Town Hall, filled with the Holy Spirit, resounded with the devout and moving harmonies of more than 100 singers.
The harmony, intervals, and vocal range are all kept at a manageable level of difficulty, so I hope many choirs will be able to sing it.
The piano accompaniment plays a role equal to that of the choir, making it a deeply important part. Naturally, it will also serve as a solfège aid for choir members. I hope the pianist, too, will “sing” wholeheartedly with the choir.