1+5
2006, chamber ensemble (slam poet, fl vla vc pno drumset)
• première 18 jan 2006. the banff centre, rolston recital hall.
cheryl l’hirondelle (vx), chenoa anderson (fl), alexa beattie (vla),
nigel boehm (vc), jef chippewa (pno), karl schwonik (drumset).
strictly speaking, there is nothing false in art, only stages of consciousness of oneself: only that which is not self-reflective is false.
— mathias spahlinger
they had to resuscitate their past in order to love each other.
— “l’enfer”, henri barbusse
in nomine
2004, chamber ensemble (fl ob cl pno pc vln vla vc)
composed for ensemble recherche
• première 11 jun 2005. 20th anniversary concert, historischer kaufhaussaal, freiburg germany.
• 15 jul 2006. ISCM world new music festival, stuttgart, germany /
ensemble recherche
I was intrigued by the potential of the ensemble recherche’s in nomine “project”: the idea of a number of different composers using the same chant (in nomine) as a starting point for a new composition brings to the forefront and encourages reflection upon some interesting problems concerning cultural awareness and identity in regards to the composer’s responsibility in inheriting or appropriating cultural heritage. Clearly a single, conclusive answer to such a complex issue is impossible, in particular when the question is multi-layered and defies strict and unambiguous articulation: not only is cultural tradition a living organism, but the relationship each individual has to it suffers a volatile and ever-shifting existence. the composition of in nomine is but one of a number of possible actions provoked by — and their identity is certainly coloured by — these and other reflections; the essence or “meaning” of any resulting insights or responses depend however on my, the listener’s, the musician’s relationship to the questions at the moment of their asking.