New song (work-in-progress), so please comment if you have suggestions or advice;) Or if you just want to comment on the song in general.

Another time (still holding on) - Work in progress

In this experiment I am testing the sounds of kalimba, harmonica and various audio recordings from the library, forest and other places I find peaceful and calm.

Kalimbarmonica (no year) - experiment

Kiku was written for the Norwegian Academy of Music Sinfonietta with Sigmund Thorp as conductor. The first performance was held in London in April 2012. «Kiku» is a Japanese verb (plain form) that can be translated into English as «to listen». I took the word from one of my first haiku poems written in Japanese. The poem goes like this:

natsu sugite
tsuki no ongaku
hittori kiku

summer is over
enjoyable sound of moon
I listen alone

Kiku (2011) - exerpt

”Like as the waves make into the pebbled shore
so do our minutes hasten to their end” 
(William Shakespeare, from Sonnets: 60)

Vannverk was written especially for the 100th anniversary of Norsk komponistforening, and had its premiere at Bergen Offentlige Bibliotek in June 2017. In the process of making Vannverk I used rain as the main source of sound, experimenting with the tone of water. Works like Händel’s Water Music, Smetana’s Die Moldau and Cage’s Water Walk was as an inspiration for me while writing this music, and a couple of these works are also audible in Vannverk, as a waterborne citation from the music history. Vannverk is the first in a series of several «verk» or «works», and was funded by The Composers’ Remuneration Fund.

Vannverk #1 (2017)

Byggverk is the second work in the «work»-series. In this work I search within the sounds, trying to explore how they are constructed - how they are built - and build new timbres by manipulating the sound recordings I have done. Construction sounds are the main musical material, and I also make us of sounds from glass, electronic devices and a selection of instruments. The creation of Byggverk is funded by The Composers’ Remuneration Fund.

Byggverk #2 (2018)

Les Lucioles is an impressionistic experiment and a part of a collaborative concert called Pia No Ongaku (15th September 2011), where Miki Ambo and Maria Brabrand played piano pieces by Pia. 

It was first performed March 1st, 2011, at the composition students' concert "KOKO" (Komponistenes konsertserie) at The Norwegian Academy of Music, with Miki Ambo as pianist.

Les Lucioles

Then and now - what now?
What do we hear now, 
what is the expression, 
and where will it move?

I this piece patience, tempo and consideration are important keywords. Through Deliberation/pace I want to illuminate how time can make us ready for change. By giving one simple note all the attention, and - slowly - let it evolve from one form to another, with only a few interruptions, the music expresses a process of maturement. A time-consuming process in a carefully contemplated pace.

This piece was written to Current Saxophone Quartet, and this recording is from a live concert held March 21st 2013 in Gothenburg.

Current

Deliberation/pace (2013)

Written for and performed by Fredrik B. Olsen in 2007.

Eksamen i komposisjon 2009

Where have you been all these years? *(2007)

A work I made for an installation called "Geniuses in bottles".

Geniuses in bottles - part two (2009)

Sirkler

de virker 
så snodige
der de går rundt seg selv 
gnager 
på sin egen hale 
sirkler kan være smale 
sirkler kan gjøre oss gale 
slik at vi går rundt oss selv 
gurgler 
i vår egen tale 
den vi ikke lenger kan forstå 
sirklene er blitt for mange 
(ordene for små) 

halene er alt for lange 
til å gnages 
på 

snodig er det 
når sirkler slutter å sirkulere
stanser, vil ikke gå 
rundt

Sirkler

Composer, librarian and artist. Graduated from the Norwegian Academy of Music in 2012 with a bachelor in composition.

Pia Møller Johansen

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