Perseverance

Perseverance was inspired by a photograph taken of violinist James Ferus at Tomales Bay, California. Ferus and Safioleas were colleagues in high school, studying and performing music together. The photograph depicts James extending his arms in apparent victory, in front of turbulent waves. The shot resonated significantly with Safioleas, so much that he decided to write a Piano Quintet for James in 2019. Cinematic in nature, the work is intended to portray the act of persevering through a challenging conflict. It was debuted at the Steinway Recital Hall of M. Steinert and Sons, formerly located in Natick, Massachusetts, in 2019. Safioleas revised the work this year. The main melody is first presented in a lyric form, and later, develops into a march-like form. This transformation represents the adaptation of an individual in response to the troubles encountered in life. As a whole, Perseverance also aims to depict the beauty and power of the ocean.