'Hearing Angels' Original piano composition (copyright NikkIJo Tyrrell)

In 2019, prior to going overseas for medical treatment, I was tinkering at the piano. I was feeling a little sad, a little melancholy, and pondering the eventual inevitable passing of my beloved Grandmother, who was beginning to decline further in health.

The initial chords and bars of the piece are a processing of some grief and almost a sort of funeral march. As I played these chords, suddenly a channel opened up. I just played and played, an outpouring of emotion. What I heard, felt and saw was truly like Hearing Angels, hence the name of the piece.

It was like being transported to another realm, a place of such beauty and celebration of life that it transcends any grief or pain of suffering on this earth. I heard, felt and saw the full orchestra, like Angels playing for the glory of God himself, and it was so beautiful that it moved me to tears.

It was actually not until I was in Cyprus near the end of my medical treatment for Lyme disease and M.E, some eight months later, that I finally had access to a piano again and completed the piece to its current point.

Upon completing it, the music portrayed further meaning to me. I saw an image of a young woman in a sparse room, alone and broken, in the foetal position on the floor. The Angels come to her to support her. Little by little she gains some hope, some belief, begins to stand, gather strength then, just as she has that hope, she loses her footing, slips away from the Angels and comes crashing back to earth. Back to the cold bare room alone, collapsed and broken on the floor.

Then comes a part in the piece of such tenderness, like the wings of the Angels themselves wrapping around the young woman, supporting her

Slowly, slowly, she regathers strength. Begins to hope again, until there is finally a triumph, joy and celebration that transcends all suffering. The woman and the Angels dance, celebrate and create music in glorious jubilation.

Near the end of the piece, there is a moment of reflection, the woman pauses to look back from where she has come from. And then, with fierce determination, she steps forward into a new place of light and hope and life, forever closing the door on that past chapter.

It seems somewhat of a reflection of all I have been through throughout my 25 years ill, with Lyme, M.E and endometriosis. Before travelling abroad for treatment, I was mostly bedridden, wheelchair bound, and barely clinging to life. Upon return, whilst not cured, I stood from my wheelchair, and began a gradual fight back to life

I share this piece now, four years later, at a time that I again need to return overseas for more medical treatment. My health does not allow me a great deal of piano time, so the track you are hearing here is actually one of my initial practices, not an actual performance or 'official' recording. I simply videoed a practice on my phone for my own benefit

I could wait forever to be well enough to practice this piece further and get it to performance standard, but I do not know if or when that can ever happen. This time last year I almost lost my life to illness again. So I have decided to share it now, in its raw and true form. I extracted the audio from my practice video, and this is what you are hearing on this CD.

It is my hope to gain enough support to get overseas for more medical treatment and, who knows, perhaps after doing so, there will be another stanza in this piece, a full orchestral arrangement, or some other development

I thank you so much in advance if you choose to purchase this track and or support me in any other way, please feel free to get in touch if you can help make my dream of health a reality via support for much needed medical treatment again