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Violin — When I was 4 years old, a book titled “Gigi: The Story of a Merry-Go-Round Horse” was read to me. It made a lasting impression. When I found out that Bella’s father, Yuiry Chichkov, had composed songs for children, knowing how deeply the children would be affected inspired my approach to a new piece for Bella.What a pleasure it was to write a solo violin work for the wonderful violinist Bella Hristova, knowing that her performances would capture the essence of the piece. In Zwilich’s third work for unaccompanied violin, the Pulitzer Prize-winning composer weaves a fabric of childlike melody together with sophisticated violin writing, providing a colorful and dramatic showcase for the soloist. Written for violinist Bella Hristova, whose father was a noted composer of children’s songs, the work draws inspiration from Zwilich’s memory of hearing the storybook “Gigi: The Story of a Merry-go-round Horse” read to her at age four. Still charmed by that memory more than 80 years later, “Gigi” is a reminder of the arts’ magical ability to keep the spark of childhood alive.