This project is more than a musical performance. It will be an event that taps into our common humanity and it is a musical response to today’s explosion of antisemitism.
Our musical centrepiece is the most compelling Biblical story in Jewish history, the incredible Tale of Esther, depicted in the music of Iman Habibi’s composition “Shāhīn-nāmeh”. This 30-minute work for voice and orchestra won the prize for composition on a Jewish theme by the Azrieli Foundation in 2022 and it was also nominated for a Juno award.
“Shāhīn-nāmeh” is a tribute to the historic connection between Persians and Jews, two cultures from countries that are politically at odds today, incorporating text by Shahin Shirazi, a 14th-century Judeo-Persian poet. In the poem, the world of light is represented by the Persian Queen Esther. With her luminescence and beauty, she “appeared like the morning star, shining bright as the moon and the sun”. In her spiritual struggle and devotion she reveals to the king her Jewish nature to save her people from imminent genocide. Her laments and calls for compassion entreat with kindness and empathy.
The piece resonates not only among the Persian and Jewish communities, it appeals to our common humanity, a struggle for light and beauty in every human being.
The common theme of humanity continues with the other choices on the program:
A Canadian premiere of the Latvian composer Peteris Vasks’s “The Message” for two pianos, percussion and strings will be presented. In his “Message”, Vasks describes the battle between darkness and light, the fate of all humankind with a stamp of the past, the chaos of the present, and hope for the future.
A tribute to Estonian composer Arvo Pärt on his 90th birthday is his work “Tabula Rasa” for two violins, prepared piano and strings. “Tabula Rasa” or “Blank Slate” refers to the idea that all social and emotional behaviour as well as knowledge is imprinted later in the human psyche by the person’s environment. With this work we call for education and enlightenment to avert radical ideas in people’s minds.
We conclude the program on a positive note with Kelly-Marie Murphy’s award winning piece “En El Escuro Es Todo Uno” (“In the Darkness We are One”).
Performers:
Soloist Sepideh Raissadat—voice and setar
Leslie Dala—conductor
Yarilo Music Ensemble
