Скачать или смотреть For All We Took (2023) for soprano and sinfonietta – Younje Cho / 조윤제

Commissioned by the Georgina Joshi Foundation as the 2022 Georgina Joshi Composition Award

Written for David Dzubay, Maggie Kinabrew, and the Indiana University New Music Ensemble

Dedicated to Mother Nature and all the creatures on Earth who suffer from the actions of humans
with my sincere hope that we reflect on our impact on nature and our planet

with my deepest gratitude to David Dzubay for his invaluable contributions and to Ari Schwarts for writing such a profoundly meaningful poem

FOR ALL WE TOOK was premiered on April 13th, 2023 by the Indiana University New Music Ensemble conducted by David Dzubay, at Auer Hall, Bloomington, IN

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[PROGRAM NOTES]
As an individual living in today's world, I often find myself questioning the impact of my human desires and actions, especially considering the severity of climate change, environmental issues, and the suffering of nature and animals caused by human cruelty. It feels almost indulgent to pursue personal ambitions while the Earth's climate and environment are approaching an irreversible tipping point due to human activities.

Faced with countless problems resulting from human behavior, I have experienced deep self-doubt and questioned the purpose of my own art. Feeling a sense of responsibility as a composer, I wanted to contribute, even to a small degree, to addressing these issues through my work, as the tragic consequences of our current lifestyle will undoubtedly be experienced by our generation.

When I received the commission from the IU New Music Ensemble, I resolved to convey the suffering endured by nature and animals in some form. I collaborated with Ari Schwartz (b. 2000), the poet of "For All We Took," who is also my colleague in composition at IU, to create a poem that criticizes human actions and apologizes to the natural world. We worked together through multiple revisions to ensure that the poem's emotions could be effectively expressed through music.

Dedicating this piece to Mother Nature, I have experimented with contemporary musical approaches. The piece criticizes humanity,
portraying the pain and sorrow of nature and animals, and expressing apologies to the natural world. Ultimately, the piece sings of hope. I aim to convey doubts about whether humans in the present age can truly coexist with nature and whether we are incapable of change. I want to deliver a message that there is still hope if we start making small changes now.