2025 Program Guide | Cabrillo Festival of Contemporary Music

46 CABRILLO FESTIVAL OF CONTEMPORARY MUSIC 2025 FAMILY CONCERT PROGRAM NOTES Xhnisa (2024) Frank Duarte (b. 1992) [West Coast Premiere] Xhnisa is a work inspired by water. For millennia, water has been the essence of life. It can be serene and still, like a tranquil lake reflecting an image of the sky, or powerful and relentless, like a roaring river carving through a canyon. As an American with Indigenous and Latino roots, my connection to water is both spiritual and cultural, and my connection has inspired this piece and a poem of the same name. The versatility and beauty of water have inspired countless art forms and cultures, and they have undoubtedly inspired me. Through this work, I sought to capture various moods, each influenced by my upbringing in California. These include taking a ferry to Catalina Island, experiencing Disneyland’s World of Color —which I affectionately call las aguas bailarinas (Spanish for “dancing waters”)— running along the shore in Newport Beach, and drinking Peñafiel, a renowned brand of Mexican sparkling mineral water. These experiences offer a glimpse into how I perceive water—simple, complex, foamy, wavy, and sparkling. —Frank Duarte Sleepover at the Museum (2019) Karen LeFrak (b. 1947) Written by Karen LeFrak with a book illustrated by David Bucs, Sleepover at the Museum tells the story of Mason and his friends as they engage in a birthday scavenger hunt through a natural history museum. If Mason and his friends solve all of the scavenger hunt clues, Mason receives the ultimate birthday present—he gets to choosewhere in themuseumhe and his friends will spend the night! Described as “an imaginative introduction to visiting museums” by Booklist, Sleepover at the Museum holds charms for older children, too. Karen LeFrak composed a musical score (orchestrated by Bill Ross) to accompany her story, which premiered in February of 2019 with the Miami Symphony Orchestra. This lively score invites listeners to consider and explore the relationship between story and sound, as well as the composition process. —Karen LeFrak Community Partner: El Sistema Santa Cruz & Pajaro Valley El Sistema empowers the youth and kids of Watsonville and Pajaro Valley by providing them with the keys to unlock their musical heritage and the tools to construct their creative and social legacies through music education. Sleepover at the Museum Written by Karen LeFrak (ASCAP) Published by KTL Music LLC Used by Permission of Sundae Songs LLC All Rights Reserved. International Copyright Secured. El Sistema Santa Cruz Guest Musicians: Violin 1: Celso Salinas-Holz Michelle Rodriguez Violin 2: Hazael Herrera Carmín Resendiz Viola: Kiara del Toro Jazmaya Cohen Cello: Ayden Lucero Sean Macías Double Bass: Miguel Noah Olvera Music Director: Amalia Diaz