In 2000, with his "La Pasión Según San Marcos," renowned composer Osvaldo Golijov, Loyola professor of music at Holy Cross, became "the international voice of a multicultural new millennium," the Los Angeles Times said recently.
Today, Golijov—a member of the faculty at the College of the Holy Cross since 1991— is once again gaining national media attention for his compositions, old and new, from the 2004 song cycles "Ayre" to the just-released "Falling Out of Time."
And Golijov's work—known for blending influences from many musical traditions to reflect the multicultural modern world—is exactly what is needed to bring healing and unity in today's trying times, according to classical music critic Mark Swed.
Released on October 9, his most recent composition, "Falling Out of Time" is based on Israeli author David Grossman’s book by the same name about a man dealing with such profound grief after the death of his son that he sets out on a journey to find him, or to find answers.
"Harrowing and hallucinogenic, this song cycle about bereavement and isolation has unintended resonance in a year that has familiarized so many with trauma and loss," wrote New York Times music critic Corinna da Fonseca-Wollheim.
From the very beginning stages of the creative process, Golijov knew who he wanted to perform the intricate piece: artists from Silkroad Ensemble, who were artists-in-residence through Holy Cross’ Arts Transcending Borders initiative. Golijov and the Ensemble worked together throughout the writing process, including work-in-progress readings and an intensive four-day workshop at the Thomas P. Joyce ’59 Contemplative Center, which culminated with the world premiere at Holy Cross' Brooks Concert Hall in October 2019.
Golijov, who told The New York Times that he feels "liberated" by the creative regeneration that came with creating "Falling Out of Time," spoke highly about the song cycle's debut at the College.
"It's very hard for me to call a place home, but Holy Cross feels like home," Golijov said in an interview for Holy Cross Magazine. "I have pieces premiered all over, but to have this premiere at home is much more meaningful."
Related Coverage:
Los Angeles Times, Nov. 4: Can music bring us unity? How Osvaldo Golijov's 'Ayre' is what we need now
The New York Times, Nov. 5: After a Decade of Silence, a Composer Reappears
