“A Garden” was composed with the support of the Cantaré Project in Chicago 2020, for the Hanson Park Elementary Choir, a group brimming with charisma and contagious energy, conducted by Jeff Schaller, who is not only their music teacher but also a talented double bassist. For this ensemble, an effort was made to establish a bridge between the children of Veracruz and those of Chicago, sharing the universal wonder of childhood regardless of language or culture. This led to the introduction of María Fernanda Carranza Jimenez, a six-year-old girl from Veracruz, who in her poem describes a dream in which she associates her recently deceased grandfather with a butterfly that shows her the wonders of nature. Through this text, filled with innocence and awe, she reflects a child’s vision of discovering beauty in every corner of the world.

For the performance, the music strives to capture the essence of innocence and the dreamlike nature of the vision through gentle arpeggios on the piano and delicate melodies on the double bass. It is suggested that the young singers employ a very light tone in their voices. At the beginning of the piece, it is recommended to incorporate the sounds of small birds to maintain the tranquility that might be experienced in a home garden.

– Julio Morales