After the August 2019 mass shooting in El Paso, Texas, writes Carol Viescas in Friday’s (10/15) El Paso Inc., University of Texas at El Paso Music Chair Dr. Steve Wilson “reached out to El Paso Symphony, El Paso Opera and El Paso Pro-Musica, then El Paso Community Foundation, and a historic partnership began when their cooperative group, Communities for Peace, commissioned an original work to honor the victims of the mass shooting…. Jorge Martín … accepted the commission to create El Paso Requiem, which will debut Oct. 22-23 at the Plaza Theatre…. He centered his requiem around Bible verses, with lyrics in English, Spanish and Latin. Then a 23rd victim died, so he added another minute to the now 23-minute piece. ‘I also decided to incorporate a little numerology…. For example, I have 23 repetitions of the Kyrie (Eleison).’ … Steve Wilson hopes the piece… will be played in and for other cities who suffer similar tragedies…. El Paso Symphony conductor Bohuslav Rattay said, … ‘Emotionally, I’m getting there. But until I’m really on stage trying to make music with the chorus and orchestra—that’s when the emotions will kick in.’ ”
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