This cycle of songs was the final project for Dr. Shockley's "From Poetry to Song" seminar, and is based on texts by Emily Dickinson. They are all tied together through references to the sea, and in some sense, allude to development and maturity, as well as present themes of desire, isolation, and self-discovery.

The Moon is distant from the Sea – (387)

The Moon is distant from the Sea –
And yet, with Amber Hands –
She leads Him – docile as a Boy –
Along appointed Sands –
He never misses a Degree –
Obedient to Her eye –
He comes just so far – toward the Town –
Just so far – goes away –
Oh, Signor, Thine, the Amber Hand –
And mine – the distant Sea –
Obedient to the least command
Thine eye impose on me –

Beth Peregrine - soprano
Alexander Lee - piano

08 It Is The Sea III. The Moon Is Distant From The Sea

This short song was written as an assignment for Dr. Shockley's “From Poetry to Song” seminar in Fall 2013, where we collaborated with singers and pianists to create new art songs out of existing poetry. The text itself is vague and conflicting, and in the case of this song, I wanted to create a sarcastic and bitter character that was somewhat humorous. However, I also wanted to instill a sense of uneasiness and sinister inevitability in the listener. He may "forget her presently", but at what cost?

I shall forget you presently, my dear,
So make the most of this, your little day,
Your little month, your little half a year,
Ere I forget, or die, or move away,
And we are done forever; by and by
I shall forget you, as I said, but now,
If you entreat me with your loveliest lie
I will protest you with my favorite vow.
I would indeed that love were longer-lived,
And vows were not so brittle as they are,
But so it is, and nature has contrived
To struggle on without a break thus far,
Whether or not we find what we are seeking
Is idle, biologically speaking.

Joe Sanders - baritone
Alexander Lee - piano

04 I Shall Forget You Presently, My Dear

This miniature is meant to reflect the feelings of disbelief that I had recently experienced at the time it was written. There is the initial frenzied state of wonderment and anger at what just happened, then the quiet, sad acceptance, then back to the frenzied rush of feelings. I chose alto flute because I thought the timbre and darker sound suited the quality of the piece.

Jessica Geels - alto flute

03 Disbelief

This piece is my response to the difficulties of the last four years of my life, and follows a trajectory of chaos, acceptance, resolution, and renewal using limited material and specific motifs. The meanings and situations it implies are very significant to me, but are intentionally made vague so the audience can find their own response, and perhaps relation to it. I owe much gratitude to Matthew Lourtie, who was instrumental in bringing this piece to life by helping me out with the programming!

Kaija Rose Hansen - violin
Matthew Lourtie - laptop

02 Revocation

This piece was originally written for and premiered by CSULB cello faculty member David Garrett. I sought to emulate the human voice, as the cello has such a naturally expressive and voice-like quality. I tried to break away from traditional tonality by incorporating quarter-tones and wavering between pitches.

Hyunji Evonne Yi - cello

01 Lamentation

This was originally an assignment for an Ableton Live class that I took, and I ended up really liking it. I've tweaked the mix and made it more refined.

Unknowing - Demo

I'm a Los Angeles area-based violinist and composer. I graduated from the Bob Cole Conservatory of Music at CSU Long Beach in Fall 2014 as a double major in both Violin Performance and Music Composition.

Kaija Rose

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