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The Day Dawn is based on an old Shetland fiddle tune of the same name, which was traditionally played at the Winter Solstice to mark the dawn of lengthening days. Dedicated to my friend Christine McKemmie, who was living in Shetland when her young daughter Zoe died, the piece symbolizes new beginnings, recalling the sense of calm Chris felt on the day of the funeral, dawning bright after a week of rain.
The work was commissioned in 1997 by Contemporary Music-making for Amateurs.
Sally Beamish
Premiere details
1997 CoMA Summer School String Orchestra / Bretton Hall, West Yorkshire
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