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Reena Esmail

Composer

Darshan

May 9, 2019 by

Darshan, mmt III: Charukeshi
Vijay Gupta, violin

Program Notes

Darshan means ‘seeing’ in Hindi. In the Hindu religion, to give ‘darshan’ is to see and worship God. As Vijay and I worked on this music together over three years, we began to see the divine in one another.

This movement, in Raag Charukeshi, is the first movement of five, which will be written over a span of five years. It explores grief, in its many facets and forms.

Recording

for mmt 3 (Charukeshi) see video at top of page.

Darshan: mmt 1 (Bihag)

Special Performance Requirements

No specific Hindustani technique is required for the performance of this piece — Western-trained violinists can certainly find everything they need on the page.

However, performers can gain further context by:
– Listening to performances of Raag Charukeshi (I find it equally useful to listen to longer performances on YouTube/Spotify as well as very short clips by typing #charukeshi into instagram)
– Becoming familiar with the sound of the sarangi (bowed string instrument commonly used in Hindustani tradition — wonderful players include Pankaj Mishra and Ram Narayan)
– Listening to the music of Kala Ramnath, an incredible Hindustani classical violinist.

Audio Guide

Darshan Audio Guide – Charukeshi (mmt 3)

Darshan Audio Guide – Bihag (mmt 1)

Premiere/Performances

This piece was commissioned by Vijay Gupta. It was first premiered (in its first iteration) with Taos New Music Group in Taos, New Mexico on September 22, 2018.

View Product

Instrumentation: violin

Duration: 5′

Year: 2018

Movements: 1 (with 1 more added each year until 2024)

Commissioned by: Vijay Gupta, violin

Program Notes

Recording

Special Performance Requirements

Text

Audio Guide (for performers)

Premiere/Performances

Press/Reviews

Esmail is the Los Angeles Master Chorale’s 2020-2025 Swan Family Artist in Residence, and was Seattle Symphony’s 2020-21 Composer-in-Residence. She also holds awards/fellowships from United States Artists, the S&R Foundation, the American Academy of Arts and Letters, and the Kennedy Center.

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