Saudade

written for the Saudade Consortium, led by Bella Scotti

to be premiered

saudade /souˈdädə/

noun, from Portuguese and Galician

1. a feeling of longing, melancholy, or nostalgia for something that perhaps has not even happened, often with an assurance that this thing will never happen again (NPR)

2. “a pleasure you suffer, an ailment you enjoy” (Manuel de Melo)

Saudade is written to embody the juxtapositions, dissonances, and frustrations of having a voice. As individuals, our voices are our only articulation of intent—our only way to commune with others. This makes the voice a powerful, yet fragile medium. In a tumultuous world, it is easy to wonder: what can a single voice accomplish?

This work does not indulge in the fantasy of moving goalposts at will, nor does it celebrate radical individualism. Rather, it acknowledges the paradox of measuring one’s impact by standards not of our own making. Our voices—our purposes—gain meaning only when they are heard. Like the tree-falling-in-the-woods paradox, our thoughts, unspoken, risk vanishing. And like the moral of Aesop’s The Four Oxen and the Lion, we are reminded: “united we stand, divided we fall.”

Saudade does not offer answers, nor is it a call to action. Instead, it invites reflection. It encourages connection. It suggests that the world we wish to live in must be built together. Without one another, we are nothing.

This work was made possible through the support of the Saudade Consortium, led by the inimitable Bella Scotti.

duration: ~7:30

Saudade Consortium Members

Corey Beck, Jared Coller, Mary Emmons, Monte Eoff, Jesse Guo, Lee Hinkle, Craig Mandelbaum, Cadence Miller, Danielle Moreau, Sonaris Percussion, Vladimir Puskovitch, Emilyrose Ristine, Mako Robeson, Matthew Sandridge, David Schatanoff, Jr., Laura Scotti, Olivia Scotti, Russel Scotti, Brett Sellers, Andrew Stern, Malcom Taylor, Lisa Woolcott