With this year’s theme, I wanted to embrace imperfection by using dissonant chords and clashing melodies to show that even though life will never be perfect (or in harmony), we can still find beauty. My inspiration for this piece came from Shostakovich’s 7th Symphony, which he wrote as a prisoner during WWII. The people of Leningrad were starved and dying, yet Shostakovich’s symphony offered hope that the human spirit couldn’t be broken, despite tribulation. Like the people of Leningrad, we each face our own trials, whether they’re physical or emotional. Strength and resilience only come from living in imperfect circumstances.
