for Soprano, guitar, and choir (Soprano, Alto, Tenor, Bass)
In the poem from which Galbraith has taken his text, Vancouver writer Desirée Jung uses a mixture of Portuguese and English to describe a state of mind in which two worlds collide and, for a moment, coexist with one another, intermingled and inseparable. Galbraith recognized a parallel to this in his own son’s efforts to sort out his confusion as he learned two languages: English from his father and Portuguese from his mother. Jung’s poem explores the blurring of boundaries experienced by many immigrants to Canada: the melding of two worlds as they integrate into their new homes. In translating this experience into a musical idea, Galbraith sometimes has Portuguese and English lyrics sung simultaneously, blending the two languages into a single sound. A subtle use of guitar accompaniment and close harmony lends further expression to the composition’s theme of merging realities.
Performed by:
Fábio Zanon, guitar
Choir 21
David Fallis, conductor
Commissioned by Soundstreams with the generous support of Paul and Brenda Hoffert