Composer and pianist Gabriela Lena Frank is one of the most accomplished classical artists working today. Known for her ability to fuse Latin American mythology, archeology, art, poetry, and folk music into western classical forms, Frank is hailed as representing the next generation of American composers. She has been honored with awards and commissions from ASCAP, the National Endowment for the Arts, the American Composers Forum, and the American Academy of Arts and Letters, among many others. Her work Los Sombras de los Apus for cello quartet was recently chosen for inclusion in Chamber Music America’s list of “Top One Hundred and One Great American Ensemble Works.”
The Joyce Award supported the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra to commission Frank to create an orchestral piece for full orchestra. The inspiration for Frank’s new work drew upon interactions with immigrant Latino people in the central Indiana region. The piece premiered during the ISO’s 2008-09 Classical Subscription Series as well as a performance during the Orchestra’s Hispanic Festival and on the ISO’s nationally syndicated radio broadcasts.