The Invasion is movement six of the Gallipoli Symphony, a tri-nation commissioning process to commemorate the Centenary of the Battle of Gallipoli (2015). It depicts the beginning of the World War I battle of Gallipoli from the perspective of the Ottoman soldier. It is scored for orchestra plus Turkish instruments ney, kemence, baglama and two zurnas. The unknown of what is to happen must have been surreal to the Ottoman soldier. They must have felt very alone, thinking and dreaming of their past life coexisting with the anticipation of death coming very soon. The comanders’ speeches must have been heard like static--heard but not understood. The prospect of meeting a foreigner for the first time in such circumstances must have been very odd. In the moment of the heat, the self identity of the soldier must have been lost--mindlessly charging, letting go of the need for survival, of self preservation, of asking the question, “why”? Spiritual lines mix with innocent folk likes, in a dreamy atmosphere. Void wholes are poked into reality with the sounds of explosions..
