Memorial
Concert for Rachel Corrie
Hackney Empire Theatre
November 1st 2005
The Skies are Weeping :by Philip Munger
the Canadian Composer has issued the following statement:
Eighteen
months ago I wrote a press release for what I thought
would be the upcoming performance of a memorial cantata
about a dedicated American college student, to be
performed by other dedicated American college students.
It was not to be. Some of the premises I had accepted in
creating the work were seriously flawed.
The first flawed premise was that in the environment of
the ongoing Iraq War, one could expect an even table when
presenting an antiwar argument - especially in a work of
fine art. I was wrong.
The second flawed premise was that once I explained the
content of the work to people who thought this
shouldnt even be played, an agreement could
be reached that this performance should be allowed to
proceed, and the work judged upon its merits. Wrong
again.
The third flawed premise was that this might be a work
which could be offered at American colleges and
universities which might engender discussion about the
humanitarian problems which Rachel Corrie had engaged
herself in trying to solve. Im now convinced that
no American college or university will ever present this
work.
Although I dedicated the work the Gen. Mark Hamilton,
president of the University of Alaska, for his
unfailing support of freedom of expression on the
campuses of the university [of Alaska], he has
never acknowledged the dedication, despite several
attempts to seek such acknowledgment. So I am now
withdrawing that dedication. UAA was very supportive at
the time of the cancellation of the initial performance,
but promises from administrators to find a way to
ultimately perform the piece have understandably lapsed
into apparatchik spheres of nothingness.
The three lyricists - Phil Goldvarg, Linda Mc Carriston
and Thushara Wijeratna have had to endure the flaws of
the work into which I projected them. Im sorry
about that, but theyve stated theyll stay
along for the ride.
That being said, The Skies are Weeping is
perhaps my most important composition, and its upcoming
premiere in London on November 1st is an event of
interest
The Skies are Weeping will premiere on
November 1 at the Hackney Empire Theatre, performed by
Deborah Fink, soprano, the Coro Cervantes, the London
Percussion Ensemble, with Dominic Saunders, piano,
directed by Peter Crockford. Other works will be
The Singer of Wind and Rain by Gregory Youtz,
and Palestinian song and dance music. The concert will be
a benefit for the Israeli Committee Against House
Demolitions and the Gaza Community Mental Health
Programme.
I am hoping that should the music prove to be worthy, we
will be playing it in Anchorage and other cities.
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