A Different Pond (2024)
commissioned by the Louisville Orchestra as part of the 2024/25 Creators Corps
narrator and orchestra
3(II=afl.III=pic).3(III=ca).3(II=ebcl.III=bcl).2.cbsn - 4.3.3.1 - timp.perc(3) - pno(cel) - hp - nar - str
a setting of Bao Phi’s A Different Pond with illustrations by Thi Bui
Duration: c. 10-11 minutes
Movements:
I. dirty river, gentle rain
II. This time it is just me and my dad
III. we will dream of fish in faraway ponds
Performances:
Premiere by the Louisville Orchestra, conducted by Kalena Bovell on November 12, 13, and 14 at The Kentucky Center for the Performing Arts, Louisville, KY (6 performances)
“Our whole class also enjoyed the story ‘A Different Pond.’ The [whirly tubes] were so cool! We enjoyed the way the music matched the emotions in the book.”
Reviews:
Program Note:
On the surface, Bao Phi’s A Different Pond, illustrated by Thi Bui, is a story of a boy going fishing with his father. During this particular trip, the father reminisces on a similar pond in his homeland of Vietnam. Within the subtext, themes of family, class, race, and generations are revealed. For me, I find the core of this book to revolve around labor; specifically, the reasons for which we labor and how we learn to value labor. Divided into three sections, I utilize fragments of various Vietnamese work songs—music representing the daily lives of people—as musical material for each section of the piece: a digging song, a fishing song, and a harvest song. These fragments are initially obfuscated, hidden within the texture. As the piece progresses, these musical quotes become more apparent, eventually becoming the pillar of the work in the form of a melodic ostinato.
I am indebted to Bao and Thi, whose individual work I have admired greatly for years, for allowing me to use their poignant collaboration as a vehicle for my music. Thank you for your stories, your generosity, and for what you represent.