Living Between Two Colors (2010) for Flute, Clarinet, Violin, Cello, Piano and Percussion
Living Between Two Colors (Score)
Living Between Two Colors (Recording)
Living Between Two Colors was inspired by a news article about numerous Iraqi artists who were living in Baghdad in 2008. One of the artists, Mohammed al Hamadany, spoke of how his approach to painting had changed since the escalation of violence in his homeland. “I am living between two colors: black and red,” al Hamadany said, whose early work consisted primarily of shades of blue and green. This transformation inspired the musical landscape for my work, which is in two movements (Black, Red). The piece focuses on the elements of fear, hate, greed and corruption that have shaped the political landscape both in Iraq and the United States. Rather than take a stance on any particular issue, Living Between Two Colors reflects on how an artist’s environment affects his/her creation, and the way such elements shape the outcome of a work.