Date: Saturday, June 2, 2012
Time: 8:00 pm
Venue: Mazzoleni Concert Hall in Ihnatowycz Hall,
Royal Conservatory of Music
273 Bloor Street West
Free Admission

Message

The “Adversity and Transfiguration” concert was programmed using a mythical story of the rebirth or “change” that an eagle undergoes through its lifetime. The repertoire selected for this concert expresses the message of this story.
The eagle has the longest life-span of its species. It can live up to 70 years. But to reach this age, the eagle must make a hard decision. In its 40th year, its long and flexible talons can no longer grab prey that serves as food. Its long and sharp beak becomes bent. Its old-aged and heavy wings, due to their thick feathers, stick to its chest and make it difficult to fly. Then, the eagle is left with only two options: DIE or go through a painful process of CHANGE that lasts 150 days. The process requires that the eagle fly to a mountaintop and sit on its nest. There the eagle knocks its beak against a rock until it plucks it out. Then the eagle will wait for a new beak to grow back and then it will pluck out its talons. When its new talons grow back, the eagle starts plucking its old-aged feathers. And after 5 months, the eagle takes its famous flight of rebirth and lives for 30 more years. Why is change needed? Many times, in order to survive we have to start a change process or transfiguration. We sometimes need to get rid of old memories, habits and other past traditions. By freeing past burdens, can we take advantage of the present.

Rebirth of the Eagle

Programme