L'etoile du NordFlute, Viola, and Piano
Iris Sim, flute
Caroline Kratz, viola
Thayer Jacobs, piano
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Iris Sim, Caroline Kratz, Thayer Jacobs
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L'etoile du NordFlute, Viola, and Piano
Program Note
In two separate incidences in January 2026, Renee Nicole Goode and Alex Jeffrey Pretti were killed by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents while peacefully protesting ICE’s tactics in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Soon after the events, poet Amanda Gorman wrote a pair of poems to honor both victims. Her poetry played a great part in the creation of this piece. Although not separated into movements, L’etoile du Nord (the motto of the state of Minnesota) is formed by four specific lines from Gorman’s poems:
“we wake with no words, just woe and wound”
Largo, molto lontano
“if we cannot find words, may we find the will”
Molto tranquillo, quasi fermo
Agitato, incessante
Con fuoco
Come sopra, con più peso
“bare riot of candles, dark fury of flowers”
Minaccioso, molto furioso
Con rabbia contro la macchina
Covando sotto la cenere
“better angels of our nature”
Pacifico, pieno di speranza
L’etoile du Nord was composed for Iris Sim, Caroline Kratz, and Thayer Jacobs for Oberlin Conservatory’s 2026 Chamber Fest series.