sisila ila ila: saying goodbye is a musical poem that evokes a deep sense of longing for lost worlds or those currently fading away. The piece follows the reflective journey of an inquisitive viola, whose memories are sparked by the sound of an ice cream truck. As these memories flood back, we hear the forgotten voice of a Taiwanese Saisiyat indigenous singer, a 1960s Taiwanese pop song, moments from a Beethoven quartet rehearsal, and the haunting songs of humpback whales. Her reminiscences come alive through vivid imagery created by the seventh-generation Tung-Hua Shadow Puppet Theater.

This new work represents a novel form of theater that transports us—both visually and musically—into other realms, as if we are in a dream. It calls upon us to listen to one another, embrace shared experiences of life, and dissolve misconceptions of separateness.

sisila ila ila: saying goodbye was developed at a workshop at the Asia Society Texas Center in 2023. The score was awarded the 2023 Walter Hinrichsen Prize from the American Academy of Arts and Letters and is published by Edition Peters.