P-17 My Plea: A Musical Portrait of a Japanese Internment Poem by Mary T. Matsuzawa
Abstract
The internment of Japanese-Americans during World War II caused the suffering and fragmentation of many families. One internee, Mary T. Matsuzawa, authored a prayerful poem entitled “My Plea” that I see as expressing her thoughts on freedom, equality, and servitude as a “cross-bearer” for the Japanese-American people. Musical imagery, text painting, and historical context are used to craft a choral setting of Matsuzawa’s poem, scored for SATB mixed choir and cello. The purpose of this work is both to deumbrate the Japanese-American internment and to portray Matsuzawa’s suffering and longing while displaying the hope and comfort she had as a result of her faith in God.
Location
Buller Hallway
Start Date
3-6-2015 2:30 PM
End Date
3-6-2015 4:00 PM
P-17 My Plea: A Musical Portrait of a Japanese Internment Poem by Mary T. Matsuzawa
Buller Hallway
The internment of Japanese-Americans during World War II caused the suffering and fragmentation of many families. One internee, Mary T. Matsuzawa, authored a prayerful poem entitled “My Plea” that I see as expressing her thoughts on freedom, equality, and servitude as a “cross-bearer” for the Japanese-American people. Musical imagery, text painting, and historical context are used to craft a choral setting of Matsuzawa’s poem, scored for SATB mixed choir and cello. The purpose of this work is both to deumbrate the Japanese-American internment and to portray Matsuzawa’s suffering and longing while displaying the hope and comfort she had as a result of her faith in God.
Acknowledgments
J.N. Andrews Honors Scholar
Advisor: Kenneth Logan, Music