Behind CAUSEmusic:  
With the heartfelt intent to bring music in support of good causes, multifarious creationist, Tracy Black, and composer, VIKTHARIEN, have teamed up to debut their recently formed project titled, ‘I HEAR YOU’.  Mutually excited to work with recognized networks of hospitals, therapeutic centers and certified staff where talented and compassionate musicians, in this case, VIKTHARIEN, are first formally introduced to an individual, maybe by remote means, and soon thereafter engages in a sincere conversation to learn about the patient or person.  After the "interview" is completed, Viktharien will then compose an entire symphonic orchestration or other musical creation for the individual.
I HEAR YOU is a constructive, meaningful engagement with the hopeful intent to bring purpose and inspiration to all parties involved.

 

A personal note from Tracy Black:  “VIKTHARIEN, or Alex, as his friends call him, was an instrumental part of my recovery during a very dark & painful time in 2018.  It was the month of February, in an already difficult time wherein my Mom, who I adore more than my own life, had become very ill the year before.  It was the kind of suffering she was enduring on levels I dare not go into here, but I can promise you, nothing will bring you to your breaking point like watching a loved one being tortured in front of your eyes and there’s nothing you can do to help them.   I was fighting so hard for her, it triggered my own illness that, long story short, would result in being admitted into a hospital for a month and a half.  It was a terrible, scary and confusing time for me and my family.  I carry memories of not wanting to live anymore, and in the back of my mind, I knew I needed to keep fighting for my Mom.  The doctors didn’t know what was wrong with me and were performing every single test you can imagine under a sun that had simply ceased to exist in my life anymore.  I thought my number was up when a pain seared through my pericardium, the case around your heart, and I fell out of my bed onto the floor begging a nurse to help me, asking “why, why, why?”.  I had tears streaming down my face, I was already in pain and exhausted from the numerous night sweats and parts of my body having gone painfully numb.  Eventually, even after my last rights were read to me, and hearing the screams of other patients having spent so many sleepless nights in the hospital, they made a breakthrough.  I had a rare autoimmune disease about 1 in 100,00 people are diagnosed with called Still's Disease.  A biologic injection, Kineret, was soon discovered, then administered and I began to feel better almost immediately.  It felt like a sheer miracle.  I had survived a number of medically related triumphs already in my life, but this one had taken my breath away, almost for good.  The nurse’s staff during my stay, I will hold dear to my heart at Scripps SD for the rest of my life.  I have the highest respect for them and others in the medical field.  If you are ever reading this.  Thank you.

Leaving the hospital, atrophied, on a high dose of steroids that steals your sanity, and facing that I would now be taking absorbently expensive injections daily in my stomach for the rest of my life… reality was still casting shadows on my relief.  My life would be insurmountably changed, and I had fighting to do still, a lot of it.  Not one week out, my Uncle, and Mom’s brother had to be packed up from Florida to San Diego, he was already handicaped from a stroke and throat cancer from smoking, that left him barely with sight and speech.  My Uncle Jim or Jiminy Cricket was one of the loveliest humans on this planet, and happens to be related to Charles Dickens.  He lived independently as a crossing guard at a school and no child was ever injured on his watch. His cancer was terminal now, and he didn’t have long to live.  My poor Mom, and Dad, had to go fetch her dying brother and she was already in torment.  We would watch him wither away only a couple weeks after he was placed in an assisted living center nearby.  It was sadly surreal, and I’m glad we were able to be there with him.  His favorite saying was, “Everyday is Christmas.” 

I miss him so much.

 

As death & darkness were exceeding their much unwelcomed stay, I was staying in my parents' guest bedroom still healing.  I can’t tell you how blissful it was to just sleep through the night without waking up in a cold sweat 4 times a night for months. It’s about then I got a text from Alex, something like, “...can I play the piano for you over the phone?”  A light in the dark.

 

I met Alex in Second Life years ago.  It’s a virtual universe built by the users, and anything is possible in there, but this is eons before the Metaverse and frankly way before its time.  Alex was into composing music and it was a delight to get to know him and his talents virtually and we became friends.  When he offered to play live for me while I was still healing, I recall an acute feeling of joy at the very prospect that anyone would provide such a delightful distraction.  Maestro Alex brought his gift of music to me one evening in March of 2018 and I’ll never forget it.  The biggest compliment I can pay to VIKTHARIEN, is that his heart is a very special instrument and his music is infinitely filled with timeless horizons of feeling and vision.
 

I won’t ever forget his kindness.  Music seeds our souls with so many anchors and he gave me a moment to anchor my life with his grace that illuminated such kindness, such hope.  It gave me strength.  Raw, unselfish, human connection.  A very powerful virtue.

Today, after 5 yrs, my Mom is still fighting. It's been a long, grueling time for her, and for us through the pandemic and etc., we all have our stories, but we have been able to recently get her to a much better place, along with her own perseverance. I'm so proud of her. So as this fragile time allows, I was once again inspired by Alex’s new music and thought, now is the time to take these gifts to new levels.  VIKTHARIEN is an empathy driven, sophisticated composer who is willing to share his time, something precious for all of us, and gifts with those who may need them the most.  Our modern day hero is here and willing to lend an ear.  He will hear you and truly listen to what you have to say.  I HEAR YOU is currently in development, if you have any interest or thoughts on the project please Email me here musetblack@gmail.com, and Thank you for… listening.