Leilehua Lanzilotti

the space in which to see — french horn, violin, viola, and cello (2019)
the space in which to see — string quartet (2019, rev. 2024)

Commissioned by Johanna Lundy for the Borderlands Ensemble, duration 11’

the space in which to see draws from a text by Layli Long Soldier (reprinted on the title page with permission). Long Soldier, a citizen of the Oglala Lakota Nation, lives in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Her work often explores her own indigenous identity. The way Long Soldier uses the concept of “place” and “space” resonated with me as I turned the poem around in my hands and my head. Each movement takes one edge of the poem and presses up against it, amplifying the text or reacting to it. I am grateful to Long Soldier and Graywolf Press for letting me use her text in this work.

Premiered by Borderlands Ensemble in May 2019 at the International Women's Brass Conference, Arizona State University School of Music.

Press for the space in which to see

"The sad, angular beauty of Anne Leilehua Lanzilotti’s title-track sets a powerful tone, exploring the composer’s indigenous identity with an unconventional sense of time . . . beautiful writing for the horn and a sequence in which Lanzilotti’s already spectral harmonies are themselves haunted by untuned ghost harmonies alongside." — Gramophone Magazine

“La peinture musicale se fait aussi discours littéraire. Les cordes frottent, comme une griffe sur une toile cirée, pendant que le cor développe sa mélopée, deux images se superposant comme sur un négatif photo.” — Gabriel Navaridas, ComposeHer

the space in which to see was featured on Daniel Ketter and Emlyn Johnson’s podcast New Music Listening Club on 4/15/2020. Listen to the full episode below with guest Megan Kyle, featuring the music of Su Lee, Erin Gee, and me. (Scroll to 41:10 to hear the thoughtful discussion about this piece.)

Past Performances

Wednesday, January 17, 2024 — Argus Quartet, Arizona Friends of Chamber Music, Tucson, AZ

Sunday, June 4, 2023 — Emily Brausa and friends, Rockaway Chamber Music, Arverne Cinema, Queens, NY

Sunday, April 2, 2023 — Argus Quartet, Newman Center for the Performing Arts, University of Denver, CO

Saturday, March 25, 2023 — Argus Quartet, Arts for Life series, The Carpenter Performing Arts Center, CSULB, CA

Thursday, March 9, 2023 — Argus Quartet, World Premiere, ArtPower, University of California San Diego, CA

Tuesday, February 28, 2023 — Caroline Steiger and friends, Faculty Recital, Texas State University, San Marcos, TX

Sunday, June 5, 2022 — Johanna Lundy & Ensamble Alma presented by Casa Museo Gene Byron, Guanajuato, Mexico

Saturday, October 16, 2021 — Borderlands Ensemble, Saint Charles Tavern in Tucson, Live outdoor concert on the patio area. Includes music by American and Mexican composers and the original paintings by Jessica Gonzales will be displayed at the event!

Sunday, October 24, 2021 — Borderlands Ensemble, Sundays in the Garden, Tohono Chul Park, Tucson, AZ: Outdoor performance that is part of the Tucson Guitar Society's "Sundays in the Garden" concert series. Includes music by American and Mexican composers and the original paintings by Jessica Gonzales will be displayed at the event!

Friday, August 6, 2021 — Borderlands Ensemble Album Release Party, Tucson, AZ

Thursday, September 24, 2020 — Borderlands Ensemble Music Video Premiere, University of Arizona College of Fine Arts, Fred Fox School of Music, Tucson, AZ

Thursday, June 13, 2019 — Johanna Lundy (french horn), Clara Kim (violin), Anne Leilehua Lanzilotti (viola), and Joann Whang (cello), The Noguchi Museum, Long Island City, NY

Friday, May 25, 2019 — Borderlands Ensemble, International Women's Brass Conference at Arizona State University School of Music, Phoenix, AZ