Jordan VanHemert - As The Willow Tree Grows скачать в хорошем качестве

Jordan VanHemert - As The Willow Tree Grows

Alex Avila | Euphonium Esther Park | Piano As The Willow Tree Grows for euphonium and piano is loosely inspired by the lyrics to a Korean song from the early 1930's called 타향살이, loosely translated as "Living Away From Home." In the lyrics, the speaker talks about how they have been living away from home for ten years and how things have changed since they have been gone. The song expresses the sorrow of losing one's country and being forced to mobilize (palpably felt by Koreans during the Japanese occupation in this time) Whether forcibly or by choice, when we leave our hometowns, things that are familiar are no longer, and cycles of life continue; time marches on. As I think about the many global conflicts of our time, I think about those who are displaced from their homes. This piece is a reflection of the diasporic movement of people around the world, and how far from home, people are forced to create new homes and new lives, yet it is possible that we all feel a yearning and nostalgia for what we once knew and loved. In this piece, I have mainly envisioned the euphonium as a vocalist. Many parts of this piece are based on Korean trot singing. Trot singing was developed during Japanese colonial rule, a difficult time for early 20th century Koreans as they fought the erasure of our people and culture. The lyrics are often somber and reflect the difficult times in Korean history using themes such as parting with lost loves and yearning for home. These characteristics are an outgrowth of colonialism but also reflect a Korean quality called 한 (han). Difficult to explain in English, Han is most easily explained as Koran generational sorrow stemming from repeated attempts of Korean erasure and colonization. In English, we say that birds sing; in Korea, we say "birds cry." As such the euphonium should reflect those qualities of vocal warmth and the poignancy of this sadness. Jordan VanHemert Performed live in Legacy Hall on October 16, 2023 Schwob School of Music Columbus, GA.