Ethan Soledad - Composer | Singer

For orchestra and narrator. (Version without narrator available)
Duration: ca. 20'

Commissioned by the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performance Arts of Miami-Dade County and the Greater Miami Youth Symphony.  

The Ocean Lives There by M.J. Fièvre is a beautiful, touching story about a little Haitian-American girl living in Miami discovering her heritage. In her house, there is a magic door with the ocean behind it which is always calling to her. However, her mom always keeps the door locked until towards the end of the book where she decides that she’s ready to see what’s on the other side. After opening the door, she’s finally able to experience the beautiful culture of Haiti which she yearned for for the longest time. 

One of the most beautiful things about this story is that even though it’s about this specific child and this specific culture, it’s something that all children of immigrants can relate to. As a first generation Filipino-American, this is a story that deeply resonated with me and I couldn’t have been more thrilled to have it as the subject of this commission.