Program Note:

On April 29, 1975, Irving Berlin’s “White Christmas” was played over the Armed Forces Radio, signaling the start of Operation Frequent Wind—the final phase of the evacuation of American civilians and Vietnamese refugees by helicopter. This event would be the catalyst for the mass exodus from Vietnam by the Vietnamese boat people. The evacuation was completed the following day on April 30th. In Vietnam, this is known as Reunification Day; to many overseas Vietnamese, this day is referred to as Black April.

Inspired by poet Ocean Vuong’s “Aubade with Burning City,” which interweaves the lyrics of “White Christmas” with a scene describing the Fall of Saigon, I composed Frequent Wind in two distinct sections. The first part is meant to create an air of anxiety and restlessness as thousands upon thousands of people anticipated the collapse of the South Vietnamese government. The second section features a music box playing “White Christmas” as the trio slowly dissolves into chaos and overpowers the song.