In the Fire of Conflict is named after the theme for the 2008 Toronto Summer Music Festival for which it was composed. Set in two continuous movements, the live percussion part is performed with the rap music in the digital audio part, sourced from American rapper Steve Henry a.k.a. ‘Bugsy H.', of the Christian rap group Poetik Disciples. The live percussion weaves constantly around the rap lyrics, often drawing melodic contours from the prosodic contours of the spoken text.
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.
