Transhuman[ce]

About

Transhuman[ce] was born after the selection for “Juurilla commissioning grant” by Versoi ensemble, whose aim was to “[…] seek to award 7 composers commissioning grants each to compose a work inspired by their nationality, furthering our mission in Cultural Diplomacy Through Chamber Music. “Juurilla” is a Finnish word meaning “at the roots”. Versoi Ensemble wishes to inspire composers around the world to share their cultural roots and heritage through music.”

for string trio
6’00”

Premier performance: November 30th, 2022
U.S. Embassy in Helsinki (FIN)

For the occasion, I have chosen to celebrate not my national, i.e. Italian, origins, but rather my regional ones. I was born in Emilia Romagna, and more precisely in the Romagnola area, in a part of Italy rich in history and culture but also in lesser known aspects: the intimism of the small town, the fun, the hard work on the land, the shared joy.
In addition to this, the decision to focus on my regional ‘roots’ was not born out of mere parochialism, but rather, in a sense, political. Nationalistic pride in Italy is a topic that lacks problematisation, particularly in recent years; indeed, it is often widely exploited for incredibly questionable purposes. Usually, the term is used by some right- wing parties whose aim is to spread an empty patriotic sensationalism, leading the crowds against “the foreigner”, the “not-italian” and creating divisions..