Dear Annie,

Cuatro Puntos' mission is to amplify silenced, persecuted, and underrepresented musicians and genres. We have just completed a tour across Connecticut with Iraqi composer/musician Ameen Mokdad, and we'd like to share with you a scene from our tour.

Today's Monday Music offering is a piece titled "Yousr", composed by Ameen Mokdad and performed by Ekklesia Contemporary Ballet and Cuatro Puntos Ensemble.

Yousr is the name of Ameen's only sister. Yousr Mokdad is also a musician, using music to promote healing and justice in Iraq (@yousr.mokdad on Instagram).

About this piece, Ameen writes:

  " In the darkest days, our feeling runs in two lines: the line of tiredness, anger and sadness, and the line of happiness and peace. A line that takes us to screaming, revolution and crying, and a parallel line that takes us to smile and calmness. It is not a contradiction, but a harmony. A line expressing the reality that surrounds us, as a feeling or as a place. A line that expresses our need and our thirst for peace in that reality. Yousr is sharp evidence coming from the second line. A whispering inspiration says: "After any hardship there is peace and ease, even if the darkness stayed long". "

Thank you to all those who came out to see The Curve. We had 10 sold out shows, and a riveting grand finale with full orchestra. Stay tuned for announcements about more live shows of The Curve, as well as our 2023/2024 season announcement!