Raqs was composed in 2014, and was inspired by an event witnessed by the composer. During a conference in Europe, the composer met a couple who lived in a challenging environment far from their birthplace. In their youth, the couple enjoyed dancing with one another – in fact, they met and fell in love during such an event. However, the place they lived at the time of this conference was part of a culture that forbade dancing. At a musical event at the conference, there was a live band and dance floor. The excited couple danced with abandon – truly “dancing as if no one was watching.” They continued laughing and dancing until they finally collapsed into each other’s arms. That evening, the composer began work on the score, completing the first sketch late that night. After revision and completion, the finished work was titled Raqs, the Arabic word for dance. Number of players: 2 Difficulty: Intermediate/advanced Instrumentation: Player 1: Djembe or other hand drum Player 2: Alto saxophone
