La esperanza de la gente

Duration ca. 5'
2vn, va, vc

Commissioned by Access Contemporary Music
for the New York Times "Overlooked" Obituary Series

Online Perusal Score Available Soon

Program Note

"La esperanza de la gente" was commissioned by Access Contemporary Music for the Relevant Tones podcast in honor of Jovita Idár, a Mexican-American journalist, activist, and suffragist who lived in the first half of the 20th century and was featured in the current New York Times Overlooked obituary series. Jovita Idár predated the Chicano civil rights movement of the ´60s and 70s by nearly half a century, bringing to attention issues that are important: education, equal rights, fair treatment of Mexican-Americans, and freedom of the press. Her advocacy work even caused her a confrontation with the Texas Rangers, who sought to destroy the printing press of "El Progreso", a newspaper for which she worked. On the first day of the encounter, she bravely stood in front of the offices, preventing the Texas Rangers from destroying the printing press, but the next day they succeeded. This did not stop her from continuing advocating for equal rights for Mexican-Americans in Texas as she can be looked upon as a great role model for any who seek to advocate for justice.

As far the piece is concerned, "La esperanza de le la gente" gives several moods of reflection, celebration, alienation, sweetness, and with a bit of vigor. I also took this opportunity to include an original Mexican tune without words, as I have been doing in previous works such as "Spunk", "Currents", and "¡Víctor Catarina!" (using text by Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz, a 17th century Mexican nun and poet with a similar spirit to Jovita Idár).

World Premiere: Friday, April 28, 2023
Access Contemporary Music Presents
Relevant Tones Live: Overlooked No More
The Overlook Quartet
Leonard Nimoy Thalia Theatre at Symphony Space
New York, New York