Composing music always feels similar to archaeology for me; they are processes in which small bits of material, whether pieces of bone or clay pots, or melodic fragments and harmonic progressions are unearthed, dusted off, and examined to determine what the pieces are and how they fit together. It is a wonderful process of discovery and I am often surprised as ideas develop and grow into music that is sometimes quite different than what I had originally intended. While composing There is a reason why, fragments of melodies and rhythmic gestures that seemed to have nothing to do with one another kept springing to mind, and rather than choosing between them, I decided to integrate them all, trusting there was a reason for them to be there!
Initially the instruments breathe together in long gestures, which transform into a lyrical, slightly bittersweet song. The music occasionally pauses for a momentary backward glance and then switches direction almost completely as the ensemble bursts into a gleeful, stomping, celebratory dance.
Alicia Lee, clarinet; Yuki Numata, violin; Joshua Roman, cello; Chris Thompson, drum set and melodica
Contemporary Museum Mobtown Modern concert series, Baltimore, MD. 2.03.10
Live Recording - 6.25.09
Bill Kalinkos, clarinet; Yuki Numata, violin; Joshua Roman, cello; Jason Treuting, drum set and melodica
Seattle Town Hall
clarinet in Bb
violin
cello
drum set (musician also plays melodica)
Duration: 8 minutes
Premiere: June 25, 2009
Bill Kalinkos, clarinet; Yuki Numata, violin; Joshua Roman, cello; Jason Treuting, drums
TownMusic, Seattle Town Hall, Seattle, WA
Commissioned by: Seattle TownMusic