Clarinet solo honoring Rwanda

Last year in the capital city, The Injyana Orchestra Rwanda was founded (as the first ever orchestra in Rwanda) and gave its inaugural performance on March 8, 2013 under the direction of Lance Gaskill with Rwanda Rising. The Gaskill’s daughter, Grace, was featured on one of our pieces that was in honor of the beautiful, resilient post-genocide Rwanda.

Below are excerpts from the introduction given at the concert which explains further the context and reasons for including this piece of music. The original film music for the motion picture ‘Defiance’ was composed by James Newton Howard which featured the great violin soloist Joshua Bell. Grace did an outstanding job of transposing the violin solo for the clarinet and performing it with in-depth passion, haunting beauty, and… grace.

In April, 2014, Rwanda will be acknowledging the 20th Genocide Commemoration Week.

Excerpts from the concert: In Honor of the significant progress this country has made, our next piece is dedicated to the courageous Rwandan spirit displayed all around us through advancements, determination, and God’s blessings as this great country continues to rise toward the future.

The music is from the movie ‘Defiance’ which is based on a true story of two Jewish brothers hiding in the woods during World War II. They encounter other Jewish escapees hiding in the forest and the brothers take them under their protection and leadership. Discovered by Nazi troops they defy the odds and defy the certain doom by fighting them off continuing to survive and outlast the war. The descendants of the people they saved now number today in the tens of thousands.

This music is quite serious, giving space for expressing agony, reverence, and hope. It is written for string orchestra and soloist and will feature Grace Gaskill on solo clarinet. In honor of the struggles of our past, and toward our future, we present now for you, the music of ‘Defiance.’

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