Ishi Sings
performed Oct 10, 2004

Colorado Springs composer Tom Taylor wrote Ishi Sings, a work for small orchestra and amplified voice recording, in an evocative tribute to Ishi, the last of the Yahi tribe. Born around 1860; Ishi lived most of his life as his ancestors had. When the Yahi were annihilated in 1865, he escaped into the rough country of Northern California with a handful of survivors. By 1911, when only Ishi remained, he decided to end his solitary existence. Surrendering to the white men, he created an anthropological sensation. Tom Taylor was able to digitally enhance recordings taken from the original 1912-1914 Edison wax cylinders of Ishi singing the songs of his people and composed Ishi Sings with these authentic recordings as the centerpiece.

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