بچه گلم Bachigulem (2024)

Bachigulem (بچه گلم) literally translates to “my flower child” in Afghan Farsi (Persian) and is the term of

endearment my Afghan grandmother calls all her nine grandchildren. The piece traces its roots to the music of

Afghanistan, drawing from the infectious rhythms of the tabla and the melodies of the rubab, the national

instrument of Afghanistan. This composition evokes the spirit of the rubab by retuning the violins and oud to

resemble the rubab’s unique assortment of three types of strings (melodic, sympathetic, and drone). Bachigulem

pays homage to the sound world of Afghanistan and the hope and optimism for a brighter future for the Afghan

diaspora.

Difficulty: Advanced | Duration: 5′

Violin 1 scordatura: G3, B3, A4, D5

Violin 2 scordatura: F3, C4, G4, E5

Oud: G1, G2, G2, D3, G3, C4

Tabla