Okpebholo, SE :: On a Poem by Miho Nonaka: Harvard Square

Yellow Einstein Press presents 'On a Poem by Miho Nonaka: Harvard Square' for flute alone by Shawn E. Okpebholo. 

The composer writes about this piece, 'On a Poem by Miho Nonaka: Harvard Square' is a work for unaccompanied flute, composed for and premiered by my friend Caen Thomason-Redus. My approach in crafting this piece was not to focus on text painting (though subtle instances are present); rather, I sought to capture the essence of the poem’s meaning. Nonaka describes Harvard Square with a single, evocative word: resonance. While "resonance" is a familiar concept in music and sound, it also carries broader, more figurative meanings—evoking images, memories, and emotions. Nonaka beautifully conveys these ideas through her poetry, and through my music, I aimed to embody these layers of resonance as well, using musical colors, soundscapes, and imagery.'