Resonance Commissions | Abya Yala

Commission story

Freddy Vilches reached out with an idea for a choral suite that would explore indigenous connections with the land and with their history that transcends colonial and geopolitical borders. We were thrilled to commission him to create this work. His friendships with indigenous poets from across Latin America, and his own lived experience and musical versatility, led him to create the magnificent work you can hear today.

Drawing upon musical styles and instrumentation from the regions being spotlighted, Freddy has woven together a choral suite that, as Freddy says, “vindicates” the historical connections, languages, and cultural traditions of each poet. Freddy’s art inspired the mission.

This commission inspired the rest of the program. Gabriela Lena Frank’s Hombre errante, with its dramatic storytelling of an Andean people ripped from their homes; Jerod Impichchaachaawa’ Tate’s Taloowa chipota’, which depicts traditional stomp dances; and Mari Esabel Valverde’s Border Lines, with its message about how border lines only exist in sand.

We are so grateful to Freddy for this ambitious and beautiful work, co-commissioned with the Northwest chapter of the American Choral Directors Association.

About ABYA YALA

Abya Yala (“Continent of Life” or “Land in Full Maturity”) is the indigenous name given to the Americas by the Gaundule (Kuna) peoples of Panama and Colombia.

This multilingual choral suite is the product of a fruitful collaboration between the author and the aforementioned poets, in an attempt to vindicate historically discriminated languages and communities throughout Abya Yala. These bilingual poems (Mapuche, Aymara, Quechua, Maya K’iche’, Nahuatl, and Spanish) were chosen for their beauty and subtle, yet powerful messages.

In these texts we find the constant presence of our ancestors, a profound love for the land “Pachamama,” and a strong call to preserve the languages and cultures of our indigenous communities for future generations. Although directly related to Abya Yala, these topics are universal, hence the beauty and relevance of these poems.

program note by Freddy Vilches

Return to Commissions Gallery

Only in Falling | Poet-in-Residence | The Talk | LISTEN | Safe Harbor
We Hold Your Names Sacred | After Time Has Gnawed | Normal Never Was
Abya Yala | An African American Requiem
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From the Book of Sankofa