Reena Esmail

The word "chamak" means ‘spark’ in Hindi -- and the title of this work was inspired by a beautiful couplet from the Indian saint-poet Kabir:

जैसे तिल में तेल है
ज्यों चमक में आग
तेरा साईँ तुझ में है
तू जाग सके तो जाग

which translates to:

Just as a seed holds oil
And a spark holds fire
Your own spirit is inside of you
If you can awaken it, you must.

Each of the three movements of this piece explores a different translation of the word "chamak:" the first is Ember, which is a dark, smoky, lilting melody in Raag Bhimpalas. The second, Luster, is a warm, intimate journey in Raag Hamsadhwani. And the last movement, Spark, is a fiery, vibrant jaunt in Raag Jog.*

I hope this piece ignites a spark in two ways. As young creative people, just beginning to find their way in the world, I hope this piece is a reminder to follow that spark that lies within each of them. And more broadly, I hope that this piece sparks an interest in Indian classical music in the band world — these musical cultures have been separate for so many years, and I hope this piece sparks further connection between these two worlds.

*If you know these raags well, you’ll hear that both the Hamsadhwani and Jog are a little bit ‘mishra’ — meaning that there are a few turns of phrase that move slightly outside the parameters of the ‘pure’ version of the raag.

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