Ouroboros (op. 2 & op. 2a)

Ouroboros is a reflection on the never-ending process of cultural assimilation, one culture morphing into another. This can happen either in a natural or forced manner. One of the prime examples of this process going wrong is the ongoing tension between the Chinese and the Uyghur people.

After several terrorist attacks by radical Uyghur groups, the Chinese government has conducted a gruesome repression on the Uyghur people to eradicate their cultural and traditional values. This has culminated in 1 million Uyghurs being locked up in so called ‘re-education camps’.

The composition takes us to the desolate landscapes of Xinjiang, which is located in the western part of China. Calls from the desert, sand drifts and the inhospitable surroundings are forming the first part of the work, which is aggressively disrupted by the lockdown and imprisonment of the Uyghur people by the Chinese government.
In the second part we are being transported to the coastal areas of China where Chinese youth are dancing lively in the clubs, not knowing about the horrors which take place a couple of thousand kilometers further away. This is symbolized by three kinds of dance music: a Uyghur dance, EDM and Trap/Hip Hop.
When we arrive at the third part, we are going back to the beginning and reflect upon the dire situation. The open question which still remains is: will this story have a good ending?

version for both symphonic wind band (op. 2a) & fanfare band (op. 2) available
Difficulty: Grade 6
Duration: ca. 13’00”

Commissioned by Fanfare De Eendracht, Den Ilp and premiered on the 22nd of July 2022 during the World Music Contest. Fanfare De Eendracht won 1st place out of 14 participating bands in the first division.