In her latest instrumental piece, Hymn for Becoming, composer and multi-instrumentalist Lauren Conklin invites us on a deeply personal and emotional journey. With melodies that feel as natural as the rustling of leaves or the ripple of a quiet lake, this string-based composition blends classical depth with Americana roots, offering listeners a sense of peace, transformation, and quiet hope.
Written during a period of personal change, Hymn for Becoming reflects Conklin’s transition from touring performer to full-time composer. It’s a musical portrait of letting go, of stepping into the unknown, and of finding beauty in new beginnings. The work draws on her background in bluegrass and country fiddle while embracing sweeping, cinematic arrangements that show her evolution as an artist.
In this interview, Conklin shares the story behind the piece, the emotional path it traces, and the artistic decisions that shaped it. She also opens up about vulnerability in music, the challenges of change, and how she hopes this piece brings comfort to others facing their own turning points.
Whether you’re familiar with her work or discovering it for the first time, Hymn for Becoming is a stirring reminder of the quiet power music holds when it comes from the heart.
Listen to Hymn for Becoming
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What inspired you to write “Hymn for Becoming”? Was there a particular moment or experience that sparked this song?
This piece came out of a time in my life where I was experiencing a lot of change. I had spent years on the road as a touring musician and it was an amazing experience, but at the end of the day I realized my calling was composing, not performing. This was one of the first pieces I wrote after making that shift, and was written as a reflection on the beauty that can be found in new beginnings.
The title suggests themes of transformation and growth. Can you tell us about the journey this song explores?
Transformation and growth are definitely big themes in this work. As a musician, so much of your identity can be wrapped up in your job, and when I made the decision to stop touring full time, I felt a lot of push back. I knew it was the right decision, and shifting to composition full time was something I was so excited about, but I definitely had people who didn’t understand and accused me of “giving up” or expressed disappointment in me, which was really tough.
A lot of the growth for me during that time was learning how to follow my own voice and not let what other people wanted dictate my life. Looking back, that was the best decision I’ve ever made, and I hope the message connects with other people, to follow your heart and not be afraid of becoming someone new and better and happier.
How does “Hymn for Becoming” fit into your artistic evolution? Does it represent a new direction for you?
This piece is such a melting pot of all my influences – even though it’s written for a very classical instrumentation with string quintet, the style is decidedly Americana. I grew up playing bluegrass fiddle, and when I was touring worked in bluegrass and country, so this piece takes sytlistic elements of that and merges them with very soundtrack-esque strings and sweeping cinematic melodies, which is definitely representational of the world I’ve moved into now. I love that it’s a picture of past and present in my artistic revolution.
What does the word “hymn” mean to you in this context? Why did you choose that particular framing?
There are a couple reasons I chose that wording – first, when I was writing it, it felt very much like a meditation or prayer, a reflection on who I was and who I wanted to be. That is the emotional side, and then from a melodic side, the melody of this piece is very simple, and almost sounds like something that would have been written a long time ago. It’s very pastoral, and doesn’t really evoke any particular time period, and has a simple sing-able melody, all things that feel like classic hymns to me.
Walk us through how this song came together. Did the melody or lyrics come first?
Since this is an instrumental piece, the melody was the first thing. This started as just a solo fiddle idea, and then I ended up arranging it for full orchestra for a project, and that’s something that I ended up not using, but I loved the melody and the idea of it, so I arranged it a third time for string quintet, something I could easily record on my own and see how it worked with all the parts.
Were there any unexpected challenges or breakthroughs during the recording process?
I was so lucky to have some amazing players and a fantastic mix engineer work with me on this piece. The first recording I did, I played all the parts myself. I’m originally a violinist, but in recent years have also begun playing the other stringed instruments as well. This work starts with a solo cello section that I kept feeling was not quite what I wanted it to be, so I had the wonderful Kaitlyn Raitz re-record it. She’s got a great fiddle-y sensibility and made the opening so much better than I could have hoped! I also had Bruno Migliari record upright bass, and Eva Reistad mixed the piece.
This seems like a deeply personal song. How do you balance vulnerability with artistry in your music?
I try to make things that matter to me, and then let them go. You can’t worry too much about how your music is received, or whether the message comes through – especially with instrumental music, I feel like people will assign their own stories and emotions to it. This is something I loved making, and I just hope that it can connect with people now that it’s out in the world.
What do you hope listeners take away from this track?
I hope that people will take away a sense of peace in being exactly where they’re at. For me, this piece brought joy in a time of transition, and so I hope that the feeling of excitement and hope and self belief shows through and connects with the people who hear it.
What’s next for you as an artist? Are there new territories you’re excited to explore?
Yes, so many! I’m releasing a full collection of string quartets, and continuing to score films that challenge and move me. I have several projects I can’t talk about yet but am so excited about, and plan to continue releasing more music along the way.
If you could have any conversation with someone after they’ve heard this song, what would you want to discuss?
I’d love to ask what they heard in it, what moment or memory it brought up. Music is such a two way conversation, even without words. I think that’s the magic, that everyone hears the same notes, but walks away with something completely different.
