Defiant Overture

Winner of the Tampa Bay Symphony International Composition Competition (2022)

Premiered by the Tampa Bay Symphony (cond. Mark Sforzini) on February 26th, April 30th, and May 2nd, 2023

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Defiant Overture is dedicated to the victims of oppression worldwide and to the brave people fighting for human dignity and freedom.

As a U.S. citizen, I am fortunate to live in a country where I can speak freely and create art to share with the world. Not all are so fortunate. In fact, my father immigrated to the United States from Afghanistan—a country war-torn since the invasion of the Soviet Union and currently under control by the fundamentalist Taliban regime. Under Taliban rule, composing music for an Afghan is forbidden. Thus, as an American of Afghan heritage, I feel the deep, personal responsibility to amplify the spirit of freedom through my music.

Defiant Overture features a musical motif (D Eb C B), representing “DSCH”—the initials of composer Dmitri Shostakovich, prominent critic of the autocratic Soviet regime in the 20th century. While the overture features flashy woodwinds and raucous brass and percussion, the work eventually finds peace in its middle section. The ethereal harp and whispering strings breathe tranquility into the piece—only to be swallowed again into thunderous fanfare.

The victims of the terrorist bombing on August 26th, 2021, at the Kabul International Airport including several U.S. service members and members of my family.

The people of Ukraine, suffering under the cruelty and indiscriminate violence of war.

Difficulty: Medium | Duration: 5 minutes

Piccolo

2 Flutes

2 Oboes

English Horn

2 Clarinets in B-flat

Bass Clarinet

2 Bassoons

4 Horns in F

3 Trumpets in C

2 Tenor Trombones

Bass Trombone

Tuba

Timpani

2 Percussion

Player 1:

Triangle, Bass Drum, Suspended Cymbal

Player 2:

Crash Cymbal, Xylophone, Vibraphone*

Piano

Harp (*use vibraphone cues if no harp)

Strings