'Amrika

This piece is a creative reinterpretation of the patriotic song America The Beautiful, composed by Samuel A. Ward and Katharine Lee Bates in 1895. Patricio Molina added an Arabic twist to the melody and harmony, using the maqam system of musical modes. Maqam is a complex and rich system of scales, intervals, ornaments, and melodic patterns that are characteristic of Arabic music with some Arabic embellishments and variations. The piece is intended to be a musical reflection of the diversity and richness of American culture, as well as a tribute to the beauty and majesty of the land.