"Barack Hussein Obama at Selma: The Bridge of Transformation” is the fourth movement from Wadada Leo Smith’s Sapphire Symphony – The Presidents and Their Vision for America. Sapphire Symphony No. 4 is the fourth in his 4-CD box set The Chicago Symphonies featuring Smith's Great Lakes Quartet.

This track features Wadada Leo Smith’s Great Lakes Quartet:
Wadada Leo Smith - trumpet
Jonathon Haffner - alto and soprano saxophones
John Lindberg - double bass
Jack DeJohnette - drums


The Chicago Symphonies represents another magnificent four-disc collection of extended compositions by composer, musician, artist and educator Smith leading his Great Lakes Quartet in a celebration of Chicago and the rich contributions of the Midwestern artistic, musical and political culture to the United States of America. The first three symphonies, “Gold,” “Diamond” and “Pearl” are performed by Smith with three other contemporary masters of creative music, saxophonist/flutist Henry Threadgill, bassist John Lindberg and drummer Jack DeJohnette. The fourth, “Sapphire Symphony – The Presidents and Their Vision for America,” features saxophonist Jonathon Haffner with Smith, Lindberg and DeJohnette.

“The idea of a symphony composed for a sextet was first presented by composer/ performer Don Cherry in his classic recording Symphony For Improvisers in 1966,” says Smith. “I have broadened this idea to include the social, political and psychological dynamic into the creative space. My Chicago Symphonies are intended to illustrate and preserve the powerfully unique cultural contribution that the Midwesterners made in helping to shape the American society.”

THE CHICAGO SYMPHONIES

Wadada Leo Smith - Movement 4: Barack Hussein Obama at Selma: the Bridge of Transformation

Mvt. 2: (final) Poco Adagio
Mvt. 3: Andante — Vivace non troppo — Allegretto
Mvt. 4: Andante moderato — Allegretto scherzando — Quasi tempo di marcia 


Antonín Dvořák: Piano Trio No. 4 (Dumky)--Partial

A collection of unreleased tracks and WIPs from 2020-2025

pailiaq - 2025 Minimix

LISTEN WITH HEADPHONES My new multichannel work (32 channels) in binaural version

« Oneiroi » 
A oniric sonic chimera

The relative heterophonic incoherence of the dreams amazes me every time,
« Oneiroi » surfs between abstract iconicities and signifiances in an idiosyncratic succession of fictive sonic mental images. 

This is an acousmatic (dotriacontaphonic) multichannel work. A volumiphony composed of 352 samples spread over 32 tracks. All its material comes from sound synthesis.

« Oneiroi »

One of the perks of living in Bozeman, MT, is that I get a great view of the sun rising and illuminating the Bridger mountain range on my way into town every morning. It’s simply breathtaking to watch the sun crest the range, and watch a sliver of light appear over the ridgeline, splitting the view to the east as the mountains seem to rise to the sky. 

Since moving to Bozeman, I’ve also been very involved in the local Bluegrass scene. As a result, the sound of the live synthesizer part is heavily influenced by the sound of string instruments. It’s an eight -voice synth in eight parts, with each part generating fifteen harmonics (for a total of 960 oscillators!) with frequency and amplitude deviation of each harmonic to keep things interesting. The various parts are then tuned similar to an Appalachian (mountain) dulcimer, allowing for I-IV-VII and I-V-VII tunings, with string volume and presence controlled by TouchOSC, while the synth is played with a Haute Pro hitbox controller, set up with “harmonica tuning” (diatonic C scale, with a button to transpose everything to C#). 

Combined with sounds recorded in the mountains (a stream on the Hyalite Lake trail and stones from Black Mountain), this is a short sonic depiction of dawn in the mountains. 

Mountain Rise

Composed in July 2024.

Originally 8-channel. This is the stereo reduction.

The Children of Chaos (stereo reduction)

Composed in August 2024.

Originally 8-channel. This is the stereo reduction.

Devour (stereo reduction)

3/3/2025
Mason Symphony Orchestra
Dr. Soo Han, conductor
Center for the Arts at George Mason University

Water Sings Fire for Orchestra (2018) was commissioned by the League of American Orchestras and the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra with the generous support of the Virginia B. Toulmin Foundation Orchestral Commissions Program. Carlos Miguel Prieto conducted the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra for the premiere performances at the Orpheum Theatre in New Orleans, Louisiana in January 2019.

The piece draws inspiration from Leigh Bardugo’s short story, When Water Sang Fire – a feminist origin myth to the Hans Christian Andersen classic, The Little Mermaid – in which themes of ambition and betrayal are explored allegorically through Ulla’s transformation from obscure mermaid to tempestuous sea witch. 

With nimble precision, Ulla manipulates the mer-music’s magical properties - a show of power irresistible to an ambitious prince whose lack of natural talent drives his relentless pursuit of the throne. In the end, Ulla’s ability to transform wishes into reality rewards the treachery of the young prince, and it costs her everything. 

The loss of her voice, friend, and form illustrate the degradation of her true source of personal power. Desperate to survive, Ulla uses a magical mirror to amplify her weakened voice with the support of “all these broken, betrayed girls” reflected in the mirror. Together, they build a song of storm magic to pull apart the prince’s ill-begotten prize. 

Bardugo writes that following Ulla’s descent, she clutches her memories, and “…held each sorrow like a chafing grain of sand, and grew her grudges like pearls.” 

While this piece does not strictly adhere to the narrative arc of the story, its episodic form strings together grievances, while Ulla, who frets in the deep, waits for the “lonely, the ambitious, the clever, the frail, for all those willing to strike a bargain. She never waits long.” 

Like the story, the sparse textures of the opening moments conjure the barren lands stripped of life by Ulla’s storm, and slowly builds with the sorrow of each painful memory re-lived. The themes resonate with societal changes that challenge our nation ­– as we strive to give voice to the wronged and the disenfranchised. The work is dedicated, with hope and with gratitude, to “women who sing truth though the world rains fire upon them.” Duration ca. 12:00

— Notes by Andrea Reinkemeyer and Kate Verotsky

Andrea Reinkemeyer: Water Sings Fire for Orchestra (2018) - LIVE

Direct Audio from onstage mixer. Additional equalization and compressed added for higher fidelity. 

Video Link: https://youtu.be/mOR7nGWK5A0

Equipment used:
Soma Lyra-8: https://somasynths.com/lyra-organismic-synthesizer/ 
Crows OVUM: https://crowselectromusic.com/products/ovum/ 
Moog Mother-32: https://www.moogmusic.com/synthesizers/mother-32/ 
Moog DFAM: https://www.moogmusic.com/synthesizers/dfam-drummer-another-mother/ 
Erica Synths mki x es.EDU DIY Eurorack: https://www.ericasynths.lv/shop/diy-kits-1/mki-x-esedu-diy-system/ 
TidbitAudio – EMF Stereo Pickup: https://www.etsy.com/listing/1328041324/stereo-electromagnetic-microphone-stereo?ref=items-pagination-1&frs=1&crt=1&logging_key=02e610d33b1e8f3c4f7627b53d73ee67d7c48844%3A1328041324
Telephone Pickup Coil (attached to mixer for drone): https://www.elliottelectronicsupply.com/cameras-security-equipment/telephone-pickup-coil-suction-cup.html
Boss Hybrid Drive OD-200: https://www.boss.info/us/products/od-200/ 
Eventide Space Reverb: https://www.eventideaudio.com/pedals/space/ 
Mackie 1202-VLZ Pro Mixer: https://mackie.com/en/products/mixers/vlz4-series/1202VLZ4.html?srsltid=AfmBOoppC_TlmKq_dvY__sKXZhcOPy6uSZlGNk65KMVm1Iu4IRlw32yo

Live Improvisation: Oakland University - Varner Hall (11/17/2024)

Ben Fuhrman, is a composer, musician, programmer, and coffee aficionado. As a result, he writes music with a focus on technology, including acousmatic, interactive, and improvisatory works. His degrees are from Michigan State University (D.M.A and M.M in composition), and Hope College (B.Mus in violin performance). His teachers include Ricardo Lorenz, Mark Sullivan, Steve Talaga, Rob Lunn, and Mihai Craioveanu. 

He has had works commissioned from a number of performers, including Keith Kirchoff, Drake Dantzler, Violet, Jeffrey Loeffert, Nathan Boggert, the H2 Quartet, the East Lansing High School Orchestra, REACH Studio Art, and the MSU National Superconducting Cyclotron Laboratory and Facility for Rare Isotope Beams, and has been performed throughout the world. He was also the recipient of a billboard dedicated to his music from the Arts Council of Greater Lansing – possibly the first composer in the US to receive one. His solo albums Concrete Oasis and Synthesizer and Computer Works are available online, among others on the Albany Records, Argali Records, Blue Griffin, Elmstreet, and SEAMUS labels.

He maintains an active role as a performer and as assistant professor of music technology at Montana State University, and has previously taught at Oakland University and Mott Community College. For more information, check out www.benfuhrman.com

Mountain Rise

bfuhrman