My long-standing interest in fusing folk, jazz, and classical music led to this Belarusian-inspired concerto, where these contrasting languages naturally complement one another. The work was written for our duo with Belgian flutist Berten D’Hollander as the soloists, whose musical openness and versatility strongly influenced the piece. As We Were Gazing at the Stars is a lush and sincere reflection on hope, love, and profound human relationships.