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Abstract
Through My Eyes: One Immigrant’s Story is a large-scale work for Wind Ensemble. The piece narrates the composer’s immigrant journey from Russia to America reflecting its impact on the composer’s identity as an individual. The first two movements look back at the composer’s homeland, Russia. The first movement “Poem” is based on a Russian poem about Russia and its identity. The music depicts Russia as a country of long history, rich culture, natural beauty and mysticism. “Provincial Waltz”, the second movement, portrays a waltz at a public gathering in provincial Russia. The third and the fourth movements are devoted to the composer’s reflections developed through his immigrant and life experiences. Specifically, “Kaleidoscopic Time”, the third movement, presents the composer’s vision of the human life that is viewed as a kaleidoscope of experiences and events. The fourth movement “Meditation” paints a meditative experience whose goal is to understand the meaning and purpose of the human condition. The fifth movement “Our Land and Home” expresses the composer’s excitement about coming to America and celebrates America, its people, traditions and ideals. By drawing from Russian and American traditions, the movement affirms the composer’s belief in the transcending power of humanity in the world.
