Deinstitutionalized Anagama
Ever since helping Dr. Kleinsasser record Smooth Wood, Flash Metal I have wanted to compose a piece employing live processing. Using an expanded version of the granular instrument that I designed for the New Interfaces in Music Ensemble of Towson, Deinstitutionalized Anagama became the first piece to include this. Each instrument employs a different set of notations, which led me to purchasing drafting supplies in order to complete the piece. The result is a frantic tumble written for bass clarinet, five octave marimba, and laptop.
The Changing Lines of a Sacrificial King
This piece represents a growing side of my compositional interest and is the most abstract music to be presented during my time at Towson. Conceived at the same time--and out of similar mindset--as Deinstitutionalized Anagama, The Changing Lines of a Sacrificial King is a scaffolding for performers to place themselves in. Written for string quartet, an ensemble that is historically somewhat distanced from improvisation, the piece calls for performers to rise to the challenge of finding their own voice.
Tetsuo [but someday we will be]
The second in an ongoing series of octaphonic pieces for fixed media, tetsuo[but someday we will be] stems from the compositional task of introducing my ear to new and engaging sounds. Composed on a Nord 3, these pieces were also my introduction to basic synthesis techniques. While I am able to specifically design sounds today, tetsuo[but someday we will be] represents an intuitive, haphazard, and exploratory creative process. After recording a collection of these synthesizer improvisations, I arranged the source material into a piece for eight channels.
SolarWind
In the fall semester of 2007 the composers of both the commercial and classical concentrations held a combined seminar for the first time. The semester’s topic would be composition and improvisation. While very broad, the original goal of this discussion was to further enhance our understanding of the two, but it soon became apparent that in order to do so we first needed to define each separately. This led to a discussion of semantics. What began as recorded and transcribed solo trumpet improvisations, soon expanded to a composition based off these improvisations.
Tetsuo [because we have already begun]
Around the same time that I was introduced to free improvisation I purchased a used Nord Rack 3. My introduction to this piece of hardware were ten solo improvisations lasting from ten seconds to five minutes in duration. Afterwards I layered all ten on top one another and was pleased with the fortuitous result. Still hesitant in my abilities as a composer, I asked Dr. Kleinsasser if this was an "appropriate" piece toward my degree. I then had the rare opportunity to see Dr. K become livid. Afterwards, he recommended the piece be split into eight channels. It was the first octaphonic work to be presented on the recital hall's octaphonic ring. |
