Manfa, or Exile, is an orchestral piece composed by Issa Boulos in 2006 as part of a four-piece commission by the Chicago Symphony Orchestra.  The work is considered program music, where the composer aims to depict a specific narrative or idea musically. In this case, Boulos attempts to capture the emotions and experiences surrounding the 1948 Palestinian Nakba, or catastrophe, when over 750,000 Palestinians were forcibly displaced from their homeland and became refugees in neighboring countries. The piece is built on a distinctive 9/8 rhythm, configured as 2+2+2+3, which serves as the foundation for Boulos to musically render the trajectories and emotions that emerged from this experience of exile and displacement.  Through his orchestral writing, Boulos seeks to evoke the sense of upheaval, loss, and the profound impact of being uprooted from one’s homeland while also exploring the resilience and determination that arose in the face of such adversity.  Manfa stands as a powerful artistic statement, using the language of music to give voice to a pivotal historical event and its enduring consequences.
 
The purchase price includes all parts and the conductor score. The piece is also available in several other arrangements with different instrumentation. Click here to submit a request or make further inquiries.