When
Where
The World Premiere of Meira’s complete Ocean Calling trilogy of works for two pianos will be presented live and streamed on February 28 @ 7:30 PM in the Recital Hall of the University of South Carolina School of Music, 813 Assembly St., in Columbia, SC.
Performers will be U. of S.C. faculty member Phillip Bush and guest artist Elizabeth Loparits, presenting Ocean Calling I: Waves and Currents, Ocean Calling II: From the Depths and Ocean Calling III: The Giant Blue.
As Meira writes, “Nature has long been an inspiration for composers, and indeed for all artists. What’s different now, and my drive for composing Symphony Living Breathing Earth, Ocean Calling, Ahavah (Love) and other related works, is that we can no longer take this living planet for granted.”
She also writes, “This series of compositions for two pianos is dedicated to the ocean. Called our “life-support” system, the ocean covers 72% of the planet’s surface and provides half the oxygen we breathe and many other resources, while regulating our climate with currents traversing thousands of miles. As I learn of large-scale contaminations, over-fishing, acidification, death of coral reefs and rising temperatures linked to the urgent Climate Crisis, I fear we take the ocean’s gifts for granted, unaware that our survival is linked to the ocean’s health. I hope the Ocean Calling series will help us to renew our connection with this vital life source and its vast, mysterious realms, and that we will hear the call from the sea that we are part of one indivisible whole.”
See a video excerpt from Ocean Calling II: From the Depths below.
The trilogy will be recorded by Phillip Bush and Elizabeth Loparits on March 6-9 in Recital Hall of the University of South Carolina School of Music for release by Parma/Navona; Brad Michel, producer; Jeff Francis, recording engineer.