Dolphin SongOct. 19th - Oct. 20th, 2013  STA New Space

Dolphin Song is a lamentation on the recent extinction of Yangtze River “baiji” White Dolphins. One of the river’s greatest losses, the dolphins’ extinction is considered the first time human activity directly caused an entire species to disappear. In four movements, this piece of music tells the tragedy of the dolphins. The first movement is a depiction of Mother Nature at work, where the dolphins live, breed, feed, and die according to natural cycles of life. The second movement tells the legend of the Yangtze princess; the creation myth of the dolphins told by generations of Yangtze River fishermen. This story is central to the concept of respecting Mother Nature, and as folklore, is an intangible cultural heritage that holds sway in teaching us how to live as a small piece of the puzzle that includes all of Mother Nature’s creations. The third movement depicts our materialistic desires and the resultant conflict between the dolphins and us, while the finale is a spiritual farewell from all the dolphins when their spirits evaporate with the river water on a warm sunny day. The work is a prayer for action; a call for us to protect what little of the wildlife is left in our time.

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