REFLECTIONS ON ROTHKO (2018) for amplified viola & live electronics | View the SCORE
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Musical motives have always had strong color associations for me. Looking back at my early works, almost all were named after colors: Fiery Red, Dusky Blue, Dandelion Yellow, Lavender, Saffron, Lime. When I look at Rothko paintings, the vibrant colors evoke sonic worlds: I selected seven of my favorites and let the colors and textures shape the musical materials. I love writing for solo viola – it has such a rich, intimate sound - and I’ve expanded this with amplification and live-processing effects such as reverb, flanger and echo. Additionally, I’ve tuned the lowest string down to a B-flat to explore the rich harmonic possibilities of the detuned instrument. In performance, the live image of the violist is superimposed onto projections of the paintings.
Performed by the wonderful Bay Area-based violist Ellen Ruth Rose. |
COVER THE WALLS (2019) for orchestra | View the SCORE
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This work was inspired by Chinese poems that were carved into the walls of the immigration detention center on Angel Island, off the coast from San Francisco. The Chinese Exclusion Act which was in effect from 1882 to 1943 banned all Chinese immigration except for individuals of elite status or the children of U. S. citizens.
The poetry was discovered in the 1980’s when the detention was supposed to be torn down, but luckily a park ranger noticed the carvings on the walls and instead the center was turned into a museum. The poems were transcribed and translated into English by Him Mark Lai and Genny Lim in their wonderful book Island: Poetry and History of Chinese Immigrants on Angel Island, 1910-1940. LISTEN to Genny Lim read aloud the poetry that inspired this piece. |
I SHOULD HAVE TAKEN THE TRAIN (2019) for amplified piano & sample playback | View the SCORE
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I should have taken the train tells a true story of sexual assault. The text is by Hannah Howard with voice recordings by the actor Molly Carden. In the wake of the revelations of the “Me, too” movement, at a time when it seems like we should all feel free to confront our aggressors, I wanted to tell a story which was not so clear, not so simple. A story that is not about the black-and-white of a perfect victim and villain, but instead explores the nuance of real life. A story in which the rapist is never confronted, and instead the victim suffers from years of painful self-recrimination. It is a common story: given the grim statistics about sexual assault, it is safe to say that we all know someone to whom something like this has happened. Most “Me, too” incidents will never be reported and most aggressors will never be identified, but at least the victims can learn not to blame themselves. Only in sharing our stories can we begin to feel less alone. My hope is that hearing Hannah’s story will help people to understand and empathize with the hidden trauma that surrounds us.
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WHERE THE I COMES FROM (2019) for soprano & piano
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I first read Josh Bell’s poem “Where the I Comes From” in the aftermath of the 2016 presidential election, at a time when it seemed like America was being torn apart by class and racial conflict. The poem spoke to me because it so honestly describes the propensity for violence which is hidden inside each of us. It is easy to blame one another for our country’s current state of xenophobia and the daily destruction of our democratic institutions, but much harder to recognize the seeds of jealousy, narcissism and hatred within ourselves. We must see our own faults clearly before we can find the common humanity from which we can address everyone – even our enemies – with love and compassion.
Performed by the fabulous Ann Moss (soprano) & Karen Rosenak (piano). |
© 2019, Ursula Kwong-Brown, all rights reserved.