Sunset ChamberFest Presents Newly Revised Versions of Reena Esmail’s Zeher and Nadiya

Working with composers is central to what we do at Sunset ChamberFest, and 2021 has been no different. We are thrilled to have been the first to present to the world, new versions of two pieces by Reena Esmail at this year’s Festival: Zeher (originally written for Brooklyn Rider) and the popular work Nadiya for flute and cello, both of which the composer revised after working with Sunset’s artists. Esmail discusses the inspiration for the work Zeher (Poison) in the video above. Drawing upon two Hindustani raags, the piece was originally written while Esmail was suffering from a severe throat infection which limited her ability to swallow, speak, and breathe.

According to Reena, ‘The Sunset ChamberFest performance of Zeher was the first time I ever got to hear the piece live, and coach it with the musicians. It was amazing to be able to shape the volatility of those opening phrases with the performers, and I think we were really able to hone the shape and pacing of the work.

Also based on Hindustani raags, Nadiya means ‘river’ in Hindi and is written for cello and flute. Esmail says that ‘I wrote Nadiya in 2017, but the work became incredibly popular in the pandemic, because it was one of the few pieces in my catalog that could easily be played outdoors or at a reasonable distance. The older version of the piece was quite long and very exploratory, and in these last years I've felt my forms getting tighter and more succinct. That is what this piece is -- I think it's more direct, more coalesced.’