The Global Search for Education: Victoria Bond on Tarot, Music & The Power of Storytelling in Instruments of Revelation

This month, audiences can stream Instruments of Revelation — a mesmerizing ballet performed by Ballet Chicago — on the Planet Classroom Network.

Renowned composer Victoria Bond, celebrated for her genre-defying compositions and evocative storytelling, collaborates with the Orion Ensemble and Ballet Chicago to bring the Tarot to life through music and movement. Instruments of Revelation transforms three iconic Tarot cards — The Magician, The High Priestess, and The Fool — into a spellbinding ballet, where each movement embodies the essence of its archetype.

Bond is widely recognized as a trailblazing composer and conductor. The New York Times has praised her compositions as “powerful, stylistically varied, and technically demanding,” while the Wall Street Journal describes her conducting as “impassioned” and full of energy. Her extensive body of work spans opera, orchestral compositions, chamber music, and ballet, with commissions from the New York City Opera, Shanghai Symphony, Indianapolis Chamber Orchestra, and Cassatt String Quartet.

As the first woman to earn a doctorate in orchestral conducting from The Juilliard School, Bond has broken barriers in the classical music world. She has received numerous prestigious accolades, including the Victor Herbert Award, the American Academy of Arts and Letters’ Walter Hinrichsen Award, the Perry F. Kendig Award, and the Miriam Gideon Prize. She has also been awarded honorary doctorates from Hollins and Roanoke Colleges, as well as Washington and Lee University, and was twice voted Virginia’s Woman of the Year.

The Global Search for Education is delighted to welcome Victoria Bond to discuss the inspiration behind Instruments of Revelation, her creative process, and the power of music as a storytelling force.

Victoria, what initially drew you to Tarot as inspiration for Instruments of Revelation, and how did you translate the symbolism of The Magician, The High Priestess, and The Fool into music?

The three movements of Instruments of Revelation are part of a projected larger work, each inspired by a different major arcana card from the Tarot deck. I see Tarot as a fusion of mysticism, color, and archetypes — each card represents a different energy and perspective.

• Red — The Magician: The color red symbolizes raw energy and earthiness. The Magician is a shamanic figure, bridging the gap between human and divine forces, channeling nature’s raw power into transformation.
• Yellow — The High Priestess: Yellow embodies warmth, tranquility, and divine femininity. The High Priestess radiates wisdom and inner knowledge, drawing life toward her like a magnetic force.
• Blue — The Fool: Blue represents spirituality and faith. The Fool is a figure of imagination and boundless creativity, walking off a cliff without fear — trusting that he will not fall but instead fly.

I aimed to capture the spirit of these figures through music, using orchestration, rhythm, and movement to reflect their personalities and the symbolic depth of Tarot.

Can you share any special moments or challenges you encountered while composing this piece?

I wrote Instruments of Revelation a long time ago, and while I don’t recall specific moments from its composition, revisiting it now, I can see how much it aligns with the themes I continue to explore.

Collaboration is key in a ballet — how did working with Ballet Chicago influence your creative decisions in shaping the score?

Choreographer Daniel Duell created the ballet independently based on my score. Although we didn’t collaborate during the choreography process, I was thrilled with his interpretation. His ability to translate my music into fluid, expressive movement was remarkable.

For young composers exploring their own creative process, what lessons have you learned that you wish you knew when you were starting out?

Victoria Bond: Trust your instincts. Listen to critics, but don’t necessarily take their advice. Never let others define your artistic vision — only you know what you want to express.

Thank you, Victoria!

C.M. Rubin with Victoria Bond

Don’t Miss It!

Instruments of Revelation is now streaming on the Planet Classroom Network, curated by Planet Classroom.