"8:46" For Percussion Ensemble and Tape
General Info
Year of Published: 2024
Publisher: Bachovich Music Publications
Cost: $50.00
Instrumentation
Description
After George Floyd’s murder on May 25, 2020, I was having a conversation with my good friend Jonathan Haas about the state of the world and our roles as musicians in this land we call, “America, the home of the free and the brave”. I was saying to Jonathan that, all of my black male friends, family and myself have the same concern each day that we leave home, “WILL WE RETURN”. It is a troubling way to move about in the world, but it is our reality and the reality that we have lived since our arrival in 1619. We started discussing the role of music in our lives and the lives of humanity throughout time. How the composers, musicians and artists told the stories of their times in their society. I wanted to put my feelings about this killing and all of the killings of black people through the voice that is closest to me, Percussion. Jonathan immediately said that he would like to commission a piece from me for the Aspen Music Festival and NYU. Percussion Ensembles. I was shocked and immediately agreed! I asked, how many players, he quickly said 16! Why was I not surprised. I started to write and the music came very quickly to me. As I was writing, I felt that words needed to be spoken as the musicians played. I researched and found over 30 quotes or arrangement of words spoken during the time the policeman had his knee on George Floyd’s neck. These are the words that you will hear spoken in the piece. From this percussion piece, my “Music 8:46 Project” was born. My goal is to write all of my music under this umbrella: orchestra, jazz, hip-hop, world, pop, funk, rock, ambient, and any sound that can be made will have the American story told through this lens. The story of Black People in this country, will be the primary focus. I am honored that the NYU Percussion Ensemble is playing my piece. I am eternally grateful and honored for the opportunity that Jonathan has given me to compose this piece of music, and most importantly, I am moved most by our honest and dear friendship that we have had throughout the years. We can make this world a better place. I believe this.