Program Notes
Lucas Richman’s “Concerto for Violin: Paths to Dignity” reflects upon the lives affected by homelessness by translating to music the stories of unsheltered individuals and the community’s moral responsibility to those individuals. Written for violinist Mitchell Newman, the work is presented in four movements which share a common thread of a seven-note motive, D-B-G-G-B-F-D (DIGNITY), woven throughout the piece in various forms. The solo violinist serves in the capacity of an observer who ultimately leads the community towards the mutual goal of restoring humanity and dignity to those affected by being unsheltered in our society today.
The first movement, “Our Stories,” has various instruments representing the unsheltered by playing a musical iteration of the phrase, “This is my story,” to which the violinist replies, “I hear you, I see you.” The individuals join in a chorus and response while the violinist guides the sheltered audience to increased awareness of the issue they can no longer ignore.
The second movement, “Fever Dreams/Move,” confronts the aspect of mental health as a contributing factor to homelessness through the restless dreams of a veteran who is dealing with PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder). The slumber is interrupted by harsh whistles on the street, requiring our storytellers to move and find new shelter. A solo violin cadenza serves as the bridge to the third movement, “Shelter for My Child,” which draws attention to society’s obligation to provide for the youngest members of the unsheltered community, musicalized by a motive derived from the Hebrew word, “Tzedek” (Justice).
The fourth and final movement, “Finding Home,” begins with the wind orchestra tolling a series of pungent chords which serve as the background to a seemingly inescapable hamster wheel’s flourish of notes from the violin. The strings interrupt intermittently with a prayerful invocation of the “Tzedek” motive until the violinist commences to lead the assembled community to action through a series of variations on “Dignity.”
The concept surrounding Lucas Richman’s “Concerto for Violin: Paths to Dignity” goes beyond the standard concert presentation of a new concert work. It is the intention of the composer that the concerto’s performance might serve as a centerpiece to a larger community-building effort, establishing connections between cultural organizations and homeless advocacy groups in order to better facilitate assistance for the unsheltered and, when appropriate, aspire towards reintegration into society.
