Commissioned by the Wallace Alexander Gerbode
and the Walter and Flora Hewlett Foundations
for the Del Sol String Quartet.

Premiere:
11/19/04 Yerba Buena Center for the Arts,
San Francisco, CA, Del Sol String Quartet

Duration - 18'

Program Note:

My main source of inspiration in this piece is the raw physicality of the instruments themselves. In intimate detail, I am seeking to reveal the richness of the sonic combination of percussion and stringed instruments. There is an ongoing play in the piece on ventures into and out of the nebulous and fertile territory that exists between pitch and noise. Some of the areas explored in this piece include unexpected temporal mutations and rhythmic intricacies. There are sustained sections punctuated by violent attacks and noisy outbursts, as well as sparse but carefully structured timbral explorations. I am very fortunate to be writing for the Del Sol String Quartet, whose musical energy and strengths are already familiar to me. As a result of this knowledge, I have confidently pushed the piece into unknown areas and presented the group with new performance challenges, knowing that they will respond with their characteristic musical bravura, energy, and intelligence.