Bangsokol: A Requiem For Cambodia
An Essential Act of Memory, Reconciliation, and Peace
Bangsokol: A Requiem for Cambodia, is the first major symphonic work to commemorate the atrocities of the Cambodian genocide. Composed by Him Sophy, a survivor of the Khmer Rouge, this work was commissioned by Cambodian Living Arts to serve as an inspiration for post-conflict societies around the world—to rebuild, transmit, and innovate through arts.
“Bangsokol shows the resilience of Cambodian people—artistry remains alive despite a genocide and an attempt to eradicate our culture. I hope that those in other post-conflict nations will be inspired by this piece, and it can support their healing and the transmission of their cultures.”
—Phloeun Prim, ED, Cambodian Living Arts
“Coming to terms with the past is an important part of the country’s ability to move forward. The revival of arts is a powerful symbol of Cambodia’s ability to survive beyond the Khmer Rouge and to recover from their horrific legacy.”
—Angelina Jolie
New York Times Article, Genocide Survivors Compose a Requiem for Cambodia By Joshua Barone
Dec. 13, 2017
Bangsokol: A Requiem for Cambodia incorporates the form of the Western requiem, contextualizing it in Khmer culture with bangsokol, a ceremony that references both the white cloth placed over the deceased during a Buddhist funeral and the ritual surrounding the removal of the cloth. It is this act that signifies transmigration into the next life: the ritual through which the spirits of the dead find rest.