Petrichor

“Petrichor”, for Bass Clarinet and Marimba, is a musical composition dedicated to those affected by the world water crisis. According to a 2019 World Health Organization's report on water inequality, “one in every three people worldwide lack access to safe drinking water” --- and this number is growing. Being raised in a middle-class suburban town, in Washington State, I never knew that access to safe, clean water was something that many people lack, both here in the USA and across the world. It wasn’t until I read up on the issue, that I realized that the basic necessity of water is something many people do not have. Places in the USA like Benton Harbor (MI), Pittsburgh (PA), Central Valley (CA), Newark (NJ), and Flint (MI), are all but a few places which have faced unsafe water conditions in recent years. Globally many countries such as Ethiopia, Papua New Guinea, Uganda, and many more lack water infrastructure to more than half their populations, according to the World Vision Organization.

The problem goes far beyond safe water --- some parts of the world have no water. A classic example would be Lake Mead (NV) --- to which I visited in 2022. The once massive reservoir has lost over 150 feet of water since the early 2000s. The water levels were so low when I went, that the view from the top of Hoover Dam was dizzying. In surrounding areas, citizens are under water restrictions whereas big corporations and casinos are not held to the same standard. As one may see, the issue of water is broad, complex, and sad. I personally have never felt the effects of water scarcity, but my heart goes out to those who have.

Composed for the internationally acclaimed duo Transient Canvas, the composition explores what it feels like when one has fresh water after a long drought. Petrichor is the earthy scent which is produced when rain falls on dry soil. To me, petrichor is fresh, an ode to spring--- to many, it is the difference between life and death. The composition aims to put listeners into the landscape, to feel petrichor, and to bring out the emotions associated with this beautiful phenomenon. By doing so, it is my goal as a composer to get people to understand that water is much more than a bottled commodity, it is the essence of life.