Duration ca. 14′
Co-commissioned by EmmaLee Holmes-Hicks and Piero Guimaraes and Verdant Vibes.
Dedicated to EmmaLee Holmes-Hicks and Piero Guimaraes
Movement I.
Movement II.
Movement III.
Program Notes
Gnizo (pronounced G-nee-zo) is a Syriac word that means ‘invisible’ but it is also a word that refers to a category of poetry that is sung in hymns during certain services of the Syrian Orthodox church. Such occasions might include the eve of Palm Sunday, while the faithful are returning to the church at the end of a procession. There are no specific religious references in my work for violin and percussion. Rather, I hope to evoke the feeling of calm and grounded-ness that listening to recordings of these hymns, which come from the Syrian Antioch liturgy, have given me during this time of pandemic.
Kareem Roustom 12/1/2020