Musicians’ Insights: Shinji Eshima on Possokhov’s Swimmer

How The Catcher in the Rye Led to Brass Chorales

Need a respite? Listen to Shinji Eshima, Associate Principal Contrabass of San Francisco Ballet Orchestra on composing the music for Yuri Possokhov’s Swimmer. “These are all the things that Yuri loves about America,” says Eshima, whose score begins with a trumpet solo that blossoms into a brass chorale, alluding to Holden Caulfield of J.D. Salinger’s The Catcher in the Rye—one of many influences on John Cheever’s novel The Swimmer and on Possokhov’s ballet. Swimmer is part of the 2021 SF Ballet streaming Season.

Possokhov’s Swimmer streamed March 4–24, as part of Program 03.

Header Image: Kimberly Marie Olivier and Sean Bennett in Possokhov’s Swimmer // © Erik Tomasson