“Week Week” (onomatopoeia of the characteristic sound of the quetzal) is a composition that pays tribute to Mexico through two of its emblematic birds: the hummingbird and the quetzal. These birds have been an intrinsic part of Mexican history, symbolizing values and qualities important to the culture and identity of the country. The hummingbird, represented in the text as “Huitzitzili” (hummingbird in Nahuatl), symbolizes resurrection and vitality. On the other hand, the quetzal is a symbol of beauty and freedom.

Both birds are described by the writer Elena Ortíz Muñiz as inseparable friends, companions of the wind, and possessors of ancestral wisdom. Their relationship in the composition is presented as a dance through the wind, where each contributes with its grace and color to the sonic and visual landscape of the piece. The pre-Hispanic flutes, besides evoking other birds, evoke the sound of nature and ancestral spirituality. This is a musically demanding piece, as the rhythmic variety seeks to capture the myriad of sounds in the nature where these mythical birds live. Written for Chicago a Cappella with the support of the Cantaré Project in Chicago 2020.
– Julio Morales