About this Piece

Based on a poem of the same name by the Puerto Rican poet Amanda Hernández, Arquitecta is a song written for full orchestra and Colombian singer Lido Pimienta.  In “Arquitecta,” Hernández captures the maternal spirit and its connection to tangible spaces often burdened by a lifetime of memories and labor, both visible and invisible. The physical and emotional weight of caring for family and home transcends the passage of time and endures beyond loss; it ultimately becomes inextricable from the conception of self and, almost paradoxically, a source of solace.

The piece centers Lido Pimienta’s voice, both powerful and tender, as it sonically renders Hernández’s vivid personification of the house as matriarch. Braided around this vocal pillar are colorful orchestrations incorporating ethereal, crystalline electronics. The song unfolds as Lido’s voice, through vitally expansive melodies, breathes life into each verse, exchanging expressive lyrical runs and shimmering soundscapes with the orchestra. Recurring flourishes incorporate disjointed slivers of Caribbean music. Gestures, inspired by the natural soundscapes of Puerto Rico, sound-paint the landscape upon which the house stands. These are punctuated by an arsenal of everyday household objects (pots and pans) that form part of the percussion. A cascade of layered female voices build up to a deluge of emotion evoking distant, fragmentary memories of a collective past. These voices belong to women I love and admire—the arquitectas that have shaped my life. I’m immensely grateful to Alexandra, Berliz, titi Blanca, titi Chandy, Frances, Gabi, Isla, Jeannette, Leah, Lourdes, Nora, Nené, Patty, Ruby, and Wandy for sharing their voices, both in this piece and in my life. —Angélica Negrón