CHAN: Sonnets and Devotions in the Wilderness, 6 Kundimans

In the organizer's words:

CHAN: Sonnets and Devotions in the Wilderness, 6 Kundimans

Susie Ibarra / Don Mee Choi / Logan February

World premiere

"CHAN: Sonnets and Devotions in the Wilderness" consists of six kundimans by Filipino-American composer, percussionist and sound artist Susie Ibarra. Kundiman is a genre of traditional Filipino love songs, in this case expressing Ibarra's love of nature. She dedicates these pieces to the landscapes she has grown fond of after living near them or spending time in them. These include the spreading beech trees of Germany's medieval forests, the Warsaw-Berlin glacial valley, the Tsongmo Chho, a sacred glacial lake in the Himalayan mountains in the Indian district of North Sikkim, and the Pasig River along the Bay of Manila on Luzon. Historically, this river was of great cultural importance in Ibarra's homeland as a source of water and a travel route. Although it was declared biologically dead in 1990 after decades of industrial development, it has recently undergone a revival and various species of fish, birds and trees are re-establishing themselves there.

In addition to compositions, Ibarra's interdisciplinary artistic practice includes performances, mobile sound mapping applications, multi-channel audio installations, audio recordings and documentaries. She not only co-runs the label and publishing house Habitat Sounds and leads ensembles such as Talking Gong, but is also committed to the preservation of indigenous and traditional music cultures as well as the protection of glaciers and fresh waters. She is also committed to the musical and social education of women and girls in Morocco. For "CHAN" - the artist's middle name, which means "meditation" - Ibarra collaborates with the poets Don Mee Choir and Logan February, both fellows of the DAAD Artists-in-Berlin Program. Their verses complement the six sonnets and devotions, which were composed for ensemble, voice, loudspeaker trees and baroque pipe organ.