In January 2020, I was a second-semester senior at CIM, and the theme of my upcoming senior recital was “unaccompanied works composed after my birth.” For that recital, I composed A Very Long Day. Inspired by a day in the life of an archetypal little kid, this fourteen-minute, four-movement suite for solo viola presents a wide spectrum of emotions and viola techniques!
The ferocious first movement, Spilt Milk, depicts a temper tantrum with dissonant perpetual motion 16ths!
The serene second movement, Nap, depicts a peaceful sleep, a pleasant dream, and a nightmare through soft bariolage, sometimes with sul ponticello, as well as soaring melodies and twisting chromatic lines!
The imposing third movement, Intermezzo: the Aftermath of an Indoor Crayola Mural, depicts a time out, with a stark left-hand-pizzicato heartbeat accompanying a funeral-march tune!
The boisterous finale, Cake and Balloons, depicts a birthday party with plenty of quartal double stops, trills, glissandi, harmonics, and more celebratory sounds, with a brief nod toward the “Happy Birthday” song at the very end!
My recital ended up on Zoom due to COVID-19, and I gave the world premiere in my parents’ living room. I performed it again when I was on the production staff of the Bowdoin music festival—listen here.See the image below of me at my recital, and note the use of three music stands at the same time as I didn’t have an iPad yet!
In January 2020, I was a second-semester senior at CIM, and the theme of my upcoming senior recital was “unaccompanied works composed after my birth.” For that recital, I composed A Very Long Day. Inspired by a day in the life of an archetypal little kid, this fourteen-minute, four-movement suite for solo viola presents a wide spectrum of emotions and viola techniques!
The ferocious first movement, Spilt Milk, depicts a temper tantrum with dissonant perpetual motion 16ths!
The serene second movement, Nap, depicts a peaceful sleep, a pleasant dream, and a nightmare through soft bariolage, sometimes with sul ponticello, as well as soaring melodies and twisting chromatic lines!
The imposing third movement, Intermezzo: the Aftermath of an Indoor Crayola Mural, depicts a time out, with a stark left-hand-pizzicato heartbeat accompanying a funeral-march tune!
The boisterous finale, Cake and Balloons, depicts a birthday party with plenty of quartal double stops, trills, glissandi, harmonics, and more celebratory sounds, with a brief nod toward the “Happy Birthday” song at the very end!
My recital ended up on Zoom due to COVID-19, and I gave the world premiere in my parents’ living room. I performed it again when I was on the production staff of the Bowdoin music festival—listen here.See the image below of me at my recital, and note the use of three music stands at the same time as I didn’t have an iPad yet!
Image 1 of 5
Image 2 of 5
Image 3 of 5
Image 4 of 5
Image 5 of 5
