breath not gone anywhere (2020)

For solo flute
Duration: 5.5 minutes

Written for Mimi Stillman as part of the Curtis Summerfest Young Artist Summer Program

Program Note:
breath not gone anywhere is inspired in part by the poem "My words to you" by Jean Valentine, as featured by MTA's Poetry in Motion in November 2018 and re-contextualized by replacing the word "love" in the last line with "breath." In light of this interpretation, the piece conveys a sense of trying to hold in the connection with the breath, not wanting it to leave; desperately making efforts to keep breathing, to keep living. The re-contextualized poem describes one's unfinished words attempting to keep the breath with oneself, not wanting to lose it, fighting for the ability to keep on breathing and using their voice.

Performance recording:
Performed by Mimi Stillman
Curtis Summerfest Young Artist Summer Program 2020 livestream concert
August 29th, 2020

Cover art by Corin Ashe