Composed in 2019 by JUNO-nominated composer Keyan Emami, The Black Fish is a three-movement composition scored for narrator, chamber ensemble, and electronics. While the music loosely corresponds to the Persian children’s book “The Little Black Fish,” this musical adaptation interweaves the personal life experiences of the composer into the story of the black fish to create a highly personal account of the scaly protagonist’s journey from the little pond to the open sea.
Over the course of 40 minutes of music, the ensemble takes the listener on a journey that evokes some of the earliest memories of Emami’s childhood, leading to his story of immigration and eventual setting of roots in Canada. The musical language in the Black Fish touches on a multitude of genres including modern classical, Arabic maqam, improvisational jazz, and minimalist music.
To round out the program, this dynamic ensemble will also perform two shorter pieces that relate to the story of the Black Fish.
Program:
Ey Mah-e Man – trad. Persian
Ton Beau String Quartet
Louis Pino & Naoko Tsujita, percussion
Improvisation No. 2
Andrew Downing, double bass
Majd Sukkar, clarinet
The Black Fish – Keyan Emami
- Dailiness
- Dreaming
- Swimming in D
Performed by the Black Fish Ensemble:
Ton Beau String Quartet
Patrick Goodwin & Bijan Sepanji, violins
Alex McLeod, viola
Sarah Steeves, cello
Andrew Downing, bass
Majd Sekkar, clarinet
Louis Pino & Naoko Tsujita, vibraphone and percussion