Hum eventuated after a long period of collaboration between Detroit-based poet, Jamaal May, and me. Our creative relationship dated back to 2007—nine years before the premiere of Hum—when May and I first discussed the prospect of working on a piece together. During this time, our collaborative ideas went through numerous iterations, before settling on a framework that became the basis of this work, composed for New Music Detroit.

Hum revolves around five of May’s poems that re-evaluate the oft-played narrative of the economic and social decline of Detroit, and its precarious future. Drawing upon the notion of ‘interiority’ afforded by his insider status as a Motown resident, May instead promotes the city as a place of hope, depth and soul. From a musical standpoint, the work’s understated connection to the Baroque concerto grosso emerges in the piece’s introduction, which features the ensemble playing together in a quasi-concertino style. Later, as the work unfolds, four musical episodes highlighting the instrumentalists in various duo settings, punctuate the arrival of each poem.

As with much of my work, Hum bears the influence of jazz and improvisation; these musical elements are deeply rooted within my creative processes. In this case, my jazz references serve as a musical metaphor for the Motor City’s fluid and shifting evolution. This idea has resonance with others familiar with the city; Ian Ding, New Music Detroit’s artistic director, stated that “openness…and [a] freely improvised spirit is how I see Detroit, especially in its recent history.”

Hum was commissioned by New Music Detroit, and is dedicated to Khalid el-Hakim.