“Meditato” by Gorka Hermosa Has Chicago World Premiere, Chengdu Premiere, Ugljevik Premiere – USA / China / Bosnia & Herzegovina
September 1st 2023
Harley Jones

Video: World Premiere at ATG Festival in Chicago.
A most successful World Premiere of “Meditato” composed by Gorka Hermosa was performed by Grayson Masefield at the 2023 Accordionists & Teachers Guild, International (ATG) Festival in Chicago. Photo report at: http://www.accordions.com/atg/2023report.php
“Meditato” (2023) is a Meditation on the irrationality of human barbarism that was commissioned by the ATG thanks to the ATG President Mary Ann Covone and Harley Jones. When approached for the commission, Gorka Hermosa proposed a melodic piece as most commissioned works he receives are for virtuoso pieces. He thought that it was deeper to go in the opposite direction with a melodic work.
Gorka writes: “Meditato tries to express the desolation in my soul in front of barbaric acts such as I previously showed in Gernika (1994), and in Fragilissimo (2000) showing that all depends on the point of view and our inability to understand the point of view of the people who thinks to the contrary of us. To compose “Meditato”, I listened to the main melodical pieces written for accordion (Romance of Angelis, Kalina Krasnaya of Semionov…), music by Albeniz, Satie, Debussy… and finally I found the inspiration listening to Rachmaninoff (for the introduction of the piece) and Villalobos (Bachiana Brasileira nº5) for the rest of the piece, departing from the improvisation on its harmony, to write what I finally composed in this piece.”
Grayson Masefield performed the Chinese premiere of “Meditato” at a concert in Chengdu last week with over 9,000 additional audience viewing by the internet. “Meditato” received enthusiastic audience response in both the USA and China where the work was also performed in concert in Tacheng last week. Full report of Tacheng festival at: 2023Tacheng
Grayson Masefield will perform the European premiere of “Meditato” at the 2023 Coupe Mondiale concert by “CIA officers” on 4th August in Ugljevik, Bosnia & Herzegovina.