Awakening

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About Awakening:

Awakening was composed as a reflection on war and peace. It was commissioned by the “Sejong Soloists"  and the Great Mountain Music Festival in South Korea.  Sejong first performed an excerpt of the piece on August 3^rd 2005 in a festival for peace at the Demilitarized Zone in South Korea.  The premiere of the complete work was at the Great Mountain Music Festival in S. Korea two days later.

Preserving the sanctity of peace is a common desire of all humanity.  It is hard to understand why humans at times are drawn to war, when prosperity and happiness can be gained by peace.  Bravery and courage are often associated with war heroes; however, Awakening pays tribute to another type of bravery as well: those who resist the temptation of using violence and war to solve conflicts.  Awakening commemorates the triumph of peace over war and violence.  It is so fitting to celebrate peace with music, an inclusive art-form that transcends time, cultures and generations.

Awakening is one continuous movement with three interconnected sections: Andante con fuoco, Largo spirituale and Andante con fuoco.  The melodic and harmonic basis of Awakening is a short motif, heard at the outset of the piece that is continuously varied and transformed as the work progresses.  The agitated and dissonant first section reflects on the agony and horror of war.  The meditative and contemplative middle section, largo spirituale, explores an inner struggle within individuals.  The final section shares many characteristics with the first section but with a sense of optimism that brings the music to an energetic finale.