The second in a series of pieces inspired by Richard Power's Overstory. His father entrusts Ma Sih Hsuin with the family fortune to accompany him to the United States. He explains how (taking place in 1948) the communists will soon control China. He must leave and make his way in the Western world. The music was intended to capture the departure from China and a first generation Chinese American family as they develop and prosper.
This piece experiments with a small jazz combo in the middle of a small wind and brass group and a string quartet. The various instruments and the themes they convey represent members of the Ma family, as well as the enduring wisdom of Chinese culture in the form of the family treasure.
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Peace.