“Justice, Equality, Freedom” Series of New Works

CityMusic’s 2021-22 concert season began with a big idea: to commission 12 new chamber works on the theme “Justice, Equality, Freedom,” and to interview each composer about their process.

The composers produced an extraordinary range of pieces, each approaching the theme from a different angle. Some came up with musical representations for these abstract ideas, while others turned to their personal heritage and family stories for inspiration.

Each a worthy addition to the chamber repertoire, when taken together these works offer a unique look at the compositional process. Below, explore this exciting collection of pieces, listen to the composer interviews, and view the world premiere recordings.

Kotoka Suzuki

Through a combination of nostalgic Japanese folksongs, recorded sounds from nature, and synthetic mixed media electronics, Suzuki explores the sense of peace we experience when sounds resonate with our core sense of home.

Daixuan Ai

Music has long been used to comment on humanity’s quest for equality, so Daixuan Ai looked to a historical model for inspiration — Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony, which portrays a struggle that climaxes in the triumph of the democratic ideals of freedom and equality.

Jungyoon Wie

Celebrating her heritage, Songs of My Grandmother is a musical commemoration of Wie’s grandmother’s life story, from her childhood on her family farm in North Korea through her perilous journey south to finding Christianity.

Margaret Brouwer

Justice March depicts people coming together from across the globe to march for equality, each bringing a tale to tell, the musicians literally coming together from offstage, meshing their themes as they go.