Christos Hatzis' Dystopia was written especially for two-time Grammy Award-winning violinist Hilary Hahn. Hatzis considers this work to be a meditation on the causes of religious intransigence, disenchantment and ultimately, jihad. Within the work Hatzis evokes a Middle-Eastern sound world by incorporating a microtonally altered modal scale. These exotic sounds subtly transforms into the equal- temperament of the Western European music tradition, and thereby juxtaposes these traditions and creates a dramatic interplay within the work. Dystopia is highly virtuosic and lends itself well to individual expression, making it an exciting addition to solo violin repertoire as an encore or recital work.
Born in Greece, educated in the United States and a Canadian citizen since 1985, composer Christos Hatzis (b.1953) is becoming widely known as a leading figure in contemporary classical music. His works are performed and broadcast throughout the world, and their frequent combination of a powerful spiritual foundation with an immediately accessible appeal has made a deep emotional impact upon audiences and performers alike.
