Program notes
Yara’s Dreams was written for the Shaler Middle School String Orchestra in 2003 while I was the recipient of a grant by Meet the Composer and its Pittsburgh New Residency program. “Yara” was the aboriginal name given to a significant figure in Venezuelan folklore, better known as María Lionza.
In Venezuela, I grew up with the invisible presence of María Lionza: something to do with a legend, something to do with a queen, something magical. There are two pieces of mine, Yara’s Dreams and El Sentir de María Lionza, that came to be as a reflective response to the socio-political crisis that invades my native country at this time. This is a time of unrest, as it was during the Spanish conquest, when this legend takes place. I wanted to depict the confrontation of two worlds, the Venezuelan indigenous people and the Spanish conquerors – a confrontation that would change both cultures forever.
Multiple versions of María Lionza’s legend exist, but nothing speaks of Venezuelan magical spirituality more strongly than this popular myth. In a way, she represents the unifying element in the different races that blended in the country. Her image fluctuates between that of a Native Indian princess and a more European queen – Queen Mary, the great Mother of God.
— Efraín Amaya
For more about María Lionza, visit this article:
A Girardian reading of the myth of María Lionza
Instrumentation & duration
Instrumentation: String orchestra
Duration: ca. 9:30
Audio
Live performance by the Dali Quartet:
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