Threnody for Displaced Peoples, Mvt. III (Score Follow)

This piece for unaccompanied cello is written in honor of displaced peoples. The work employs the technique of downward scorditura (tuning the strings in a way different from what is typical) so as to capture the emotional gravitas of the stories told by those in exile. The work is in three movements, each giving voice to a different dimension of the experience of displacement: 1.) Lament, 2.) Pain, 3.) Memory.

My interest in the stories of displaced peoples began in childhood when I read stories of men and women who would cross cultures for the sake of their work or to spread a message they believed in. That childhood interest deepend in college and graduate school school where I developed friendships with international students who were studying abroad. Eventually, my interest in stories of displacement crystallized even more when I met my wife, Elizabeth, who grew up in a country other than what her passport indicated. My interest in the stories of displaced people and peoples intensified yet again when a coworker said that she longed to see "dignity for displaced peoples." Taken together, these experiences sent me on a journey of tracking down to the stories told by those who have been displaced. This composition is my attempt to process the significant impression those stories made upon my life, as well as pay tribute to those stories.

This work was performed by myself, Brian Ballinger. It was recorded by John Howard at Oakwood Studios in Kentucky.

The work is dedicated to Medine Keener, one of the most amazing women I know. Thank you for so generously sharing your story with me and with many others.