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Commissioned by the ASCAP Foundation / Charles Kingsford Fund
Premiere: 1 May 2009 / The Phoenix Concerts / Church of St. Matthew and St. Timothy, NYC / Gilda Lyons and Elaine Valby, voice
Instrumentation: two treble voices
Duration: 15'
Text: Colette Inez
Movements: Old Woman, Eskimo | Skokie River Cadenzas | Reading Da Leaves | God and Gravity | Sylvia, Aloft | Elizabeth, The Rain | Lake Song
PROGRAM NOTE
When I met poet Colette Inez at the Virginia Center for the Creative Arts in summer 2007, her glowing presence, striking sense of humor, quick mind and gift for word-play all charmed me beyond expression. From her powerfully positive nature, I'd have never imagined that she came from such a stormy beginning: an orphan from Belgium brought to the U.S. at age eight to live with a disturbed and ultimately abusive family (imagine a time when a suggested treatment for clinical depression was the adoption of a child). Profoundly moved by her memoir The Secret of M. Dulong, I spent the summer ruminating both on her path and on the impulses in me inspired by her story: to help, to adopt, to befriend, to offer some of my family heirlooms since she herself had so painfully few (after finally finding her birth mother, Colette writes to her "If you would choose to give me something your mother gave you, something of sentimental value, I would deeply appreciate it" but receives no response to the request.)
In processing Colette's story, I came to recognize that all of these first impulses of mine were utterly ridiculous: a strong and accomplished poet, Colette did not need my help; a mid-career artist by the time I was born, she certainly did not need adopting; a much-loved soul, she didn't even need my friendship, though I felt grateful that she accepted it; and, as for heirlooms: Colette made her own. In the lifetime of poems that she has written and shared with the world, Colette created a new kind of heirloom. From this life's work, I have assembled the collection that serves as text for the 15 minute song cycle Colette's Heirlooms.
Colette's Heirlooms, for treble voices, is dedicated with admiration, respect and friendship to Colette Inez. I extend my gratitude and appreciation to The ASCAP Foundation / Charles Kingsford Fund for commissioning the work.