Yara's Dreams was written for written for the Shaler's Middle School String Orchestra in the year 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 very important figured in the Venezuelan folklore, better known as María Lionza. In Venezuela, I grew up with the invisible presence of María Lionza, the daughter of a native Indian chief, something to do with a legend, something to do with a queen, or something magic. 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 the time of 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 stronger 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 to a more European queen, a queen Mary, the great Mother of God.
Efraín Amaya
For more about María Lionza visit this site:
A Girardian reading of the myth of Maria Lionza
Instrumentation: String orchestra.
Duration: ca. 9:30
Yara's Dreams -2003 (string orchestra) 5:30 (three movements) Full score & Set of parts [7, 6, 5, 4, 3] $52.00Extra parts $4.00 each (For extra parts please click here)
Follow these links for a live performance by the Dali Quartet: I - Green Grapes II - Metal Rain III - Stomping Monks