INAABID

Inaabid was commissioned by the Young New Yorkers’ Chorus for a concert on the theme of human aspiration and dreams. As I began researching appropriate texts on this idea, I discovered a striking Native American phrase that, in English, translates to, “you will never destroy the dream that I have dreamed.” This powerful adage originates with the Anishinabe tribe—the third largest Native American tribe in North America. Although most of their lands have been appropriated by the Americans and Canadians, the Anishinabe people maintain a proud history of resisting resettlement. Today, nearly all Anishinabe reservations are within their original territory along the Great Lakes region, mostly in the area of Lake Superior – a part of the country with which I feel a deep connection. Since I was a child, I have often visited this area and found it to be one of the most beautiful, serene places on earth.

Inaabid (Young New Yorkers' Chorus; Michael Kerschner, conductor)