east wind melts the ice (2021): solo soprano + electronics/SA ensemble with optional drone/2- to 16-ch playback.

east wind melts the ice is the culmination of several influences on my work; the text is taken from the ancient Japanese calendar which divides the year into 50+ micro-seasons, to emphasize that everything is always changing: a central component of eastern meditation practices. The method of adaptation of the text is inspired by the Carnatic rhythmic tradition of the “mora” (shape), which was also applied to text in ancient Indian songs. Musically, the raga (scale) unfolds in the manner of a truncated alap, before breaking out into full-on Western counterpoint, all the while underpinned by a drone inspired by the tanpura. However, unlike in Indian traditions, the drone does change pitch throughout (classical Indian music has no concept of harmony and always keeps one note as the drone), questioning which lens is being used to view the raga.

Commissioned by Daisy Press.

First performance given on October 9, 2021 in Denton, (TX)/USA. (16-ch version).