Jose Lezcano commissioned by Festival 21
Dr. Jose Lezcano of Keene State College has been commissioned by Festival 21 to write a piece for guitar orchestra. Dr. Lezcano describes: “The working title of the piece is ‘Homage to Victor Jara.’ Jara was an immensely gifted folk-singer and songwriter, and martyr of the Pincochet-led coup d’etat in Chile during the early 1970s that led to a military “reign of terror” and human rights abuses in that country. The work will incorporate aspects of South American folk-song, quotations from Jara’s most memorable tunes, and use both traditional and extended techniques for multiple guitars. I’m thinking of percussion golpes, strumming the strings behind the nut, harmonic node “golpes” (in the manner of the late Michael Hedges, a friend of mine at Peabody in the late 70s), and other effects, not used for their own sake but as part of the musical argument of the piece. The work will possibly have a narrator.” The student ensemble from Keene State College in NH will join members of the Society to rehearse and perform “Homage to Victor Jara” as part of Festival 21 on April 10, 2010. All welcome, please register early to hold your place.
