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El Darién is a musical depiction of the “Darien Gap,” a notoriously inhospitable forest that connects northern Colombia and southern Panama. Despite its harsh climate, rampant criminal activity, limited infrastructure, and hostile wildlife, the strait has become a popular option for human migration into North America. Casualties are frequent and survivors often consider it the most difficult portion of their journey northwards.
I don’t seek to make a political statement with this piece. Rather, I’d like to communicate the raw, human tragedy of migration through this region.
When writing this piece, I was influenced by G. F. Haas’s Second String Quartet, Stravinsky's Petrouchka, Tyler Shaver’s Six Static Scenes, and Alyssa Weinberg's Caligo.