(ZENIT News / Chiclayo, 07.22.2025).- In an ambitious fusion of music, theology, and personal history, Peruvian conductor and musicologist José Quezada Macchiavello has dedicated his newest orchestral work—Symphony No. 3, «Augustinian Triptych» Opus 32—to Pope Leo XIV, the first Augustinian pontiff in the history of the Catholic Church. The symphony is set to premiere in Chiclayo on November 22, promising an evening as spiritually resonant as it is musically profound.
What began decades ago as a youthful fascination with the writings of Saint Augustine has now evolved into a full-scale symphonic tribute. Quezada’s first encounter with the Bishop of Hippo came during his formative years at the Colegio de San Agustín in Lima. Under the guidance of Father Vicente Paniagua, he delved into «The Confessions» and «The City of God», texts that he credits with reshaping his worldview.
Though he once intended to write a scholarly thesis on Augustine’s aesthetics at the Pontifical and Civil Faculty of Theology in Lima, the project never materialized. Instead, he returned to Augustine’s legacy through his own medium: music. “Since I couldn’t write a thesis about Augustine, I decided to write a symphony about him,” Quezada explained in a recent interview.
Composed between 2021 and 2023, the symphony was originally meant to mark the 120th anniversary of his former school. But when the event was postponed, Quezada waited—until, as he puts it, “Providence gave the Church an Augustinian pope.” The election of Pope Leo XIV in May provided not only the symbolic anchor the symphony had been waiting for, but also a sense of theological fulfillment.
Musically, the «Augustinian Triptych» explores some of the most intricate dimensions of Augustine’s thought: the introspective search for truth, the philosophical tension between temporal and eternal realities, and the experience of divine grace. According to Quezada, the work is steeped in symbolism and meant to invite listeners into a meditative encounter.
The premiere will feature a youth orchestra composed of musicians from Peru and neighboring countries, trained in Lima and brought together specifically for this occasion. The performance will take place in a historic theater in Chiclayo, constructed under the episcopate of Robert Prevost, the city’s former bishop and current prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops.
The decision to dedicate the piece to the Holy Father was encouraged by Father Pablo Rarrán, who advised the composer to “play in the big leagues.” The Vatican has been informed of the dedication, and Quezada notes that Pope Leo XIV remains closely connected with events in Peru. “He feels Peruvian. That’s not flattery—it’s something you can sense,” Quezada said.
Following the Chiclayo debut, the symphony is scheduled to be performed in Lima, offering another opportunity for Peruvian audiences to reflect on the legacy of Saint Augustine and the historic significance of a pontiff shaped by his teachings. Through music, Quezada aims not just to honor a pope, but to open a contemplative space where philosophy, faith, and art converge.
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