2019

Whispered Like the Wind calls attention to how memories are passed down through generations of women who may or may not be mothers but who are all someone’s daughter. Through this project, we celebrate ways of being that are multivariate and also similar. In producing this project, I seek to draw connections between generations of women in new and unexpected ways. By producing sound grounded in classical, jazz, gospel, archival sound, and electronic music, the audience hears both what is familiar and what is unfamiliar, creating a unique soundscape through which to share multiple narratives.

I am the youngest girl in my immediate family and I was raised in the Midwest, 830 miles away from my paternal grandparents and extended family. My maternal great grandmother died when I was 18 months old. This has left me feeling disconnected from memories, livelihoods, and stories, and even the sounds, scents, and embrace of women elders. I have found that writing music and singing allows me to find meaningful connection to these women who feel like a distant dream. Whispered Like the Wind is an attempt to materialize their lives and find reflection in my own.

Whispered... was presented in collaboration with The Union for Contemporary Art and The Omaha Symphony.

Composed by: Liz Gre
Soloist: Liz Gre
Conducted by: Ian Passmore
Featured Cellist: Maurisa Mansaray
Arrangement: Darren Pettit