Yumiko Matsuyama, violin
Performed in the Great Hall of the Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre, November 16, 2021

I. Schneeglöckchen (Snowdrops)
II. Tulpe (Tulips)
III. Krokusse (Crocuses)
IV. Sonnenblumen (Sunflowers)
V. Astern (Asters)
VI. Pfingstrosen (Peonies)
VII. Flieder (Lilacs)
VIII. Rosen (Roses)

Blumen (German for “Flowers”) is a suite for solo violin consisting of eight miniatures, each depicting a type of flower that grows in both the US and in Germany. Beyond the particular qualities of the flowers, the movements were inspired by my mother’s garden at home in Illinois, where many of these flowers grow, as well as hikes throughout Baden-Württemberg and in the Bavarian town of Mittenwald three years ago.

Blumen for solo violin

Performed by YXUS Ensemble:
Olga Voronova, violin 1
Mari Targo, violin 2
Laur Eensalu, viola
Leho Karin, cello

Since I moved to Tallinn in August, the landscapes of Estonia have become an enduring source of inspiration for my music. In September, I made a particularly memorable visit to the peninsula of Paljassaare at sunset. As the evening chill set in, a thin layer of mist formed near the shore, almost appearing to join with the surrounding water. "Where Mist Meets Water" seeks to recreate the conditions of that magical evening, continuing a series of recent works focused on the sound and texture of water.

Where Mist Meets Water for string quartet

Rick Barrantes Agüero, bassoon
World premiere, 4/30/2023, Rock Hall Auditorium, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA

Whenever any of us leave one place for another, we leave something behind. Having lived in four different countries and traveled to two more in the last five years, I often found myself missing aspects of all of them. In "Longing", these sensations are expressed through the sustained notes and register gaps of the bassoon; I hope every listener can find a part of themselves in it.

"Longing" for solo bassoon

Premiered 14 May 2023, Great Hall of the Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre, Tallinn, Estonia
Peeter Margus, violin
Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Toomas Vavilov

"Gathering Dew", my first completed concerto, searches for a unison between the pure tone of the violin and the beautiful, often mournful simplicity of Lithuanian folk music. The harmonics and open strings of the violin are gradually transformed into fragments and variations of two folk songs – “Už ežero ugnys dega” ("Behind the lake, fires are burning", about a sorrowful orphan girl) and “Laidos saulalė” ("The sun was setting", depicting a personified sun speaking to villagers harvesting rye) – after which the soloist plays both songs in their full splendor.

The meaning of the title is twofold. Inspired by the delicate qualities of morning dew, I imagined the opening of the concerto as a gradual accumulation or “gathering”, beginning from the “dewdrops” of violin harmonics and extending to the loudest point. In addition, dew (“Rasa” in Lithuanian) is a common female name in Lithuania, exemplifying the very close connection between Lithuanian culture and nature.

"Gathering Dew" is dedicated to the Lithuanian people, in appreciation of the kindness, generosity, and hospitality they have often showed during my travels in Lithuania and abroad.

"Gathering Dew", concerto for violin and orchestra

Carson Cooman, piano

There are no program notes; the meaning of the title is up to your own interpretation.

Valley of Fading Memories for piano

Carson Cooman, organ

There are no program notes; the meaning of the title is up to your own interpretation.

Valley of Fading Memories (Organ version)

Pilvine Öö (Cloudy Night) for piano

Carson Cooman, piano
Completed 06 September 2023

This is one of a series of pieces where most expressive aspects are decided by the performer. Likewise, there are no program notes; based on the title and the music, it is up to you what you wish to imagine.

Echoes from a Distant Land for piano

Carson Cooman, piano
Completed 16 September 2023

Image credit: Getty Images

Threads That Glisten In Evening Light for piano

Carson Cooman, piano
Completed 19 September 2023

This is one of a series of pieces where most expressive aspects are decided by the performer. Likewise, there are no program notes; based on the title and the music, it is up to you what you wish to imagine.

Sweetness Of Eternity for piano

Carson Cooman, piano
Completed 01 October 2023

This is one of a series of pieces where most expressive aspects are decided by the performer. Likewise, there are no program notes; based on the title and the music, it is up to you what you wish to imagine.

A Whimsical Tune for piano

Premiered 13 October 2023, Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre Multimedia Center, Tallinn, Estonia as part of the EAMT Acousmonium (speaker orchestra) Workshop

Lithuania is a country very close to my heart, both because of its people and due to its rich variety of musical and cultural traditions. The recordings forming "The Heart of Lithuania" are influenced by several of these traditions - a carillon tune played in Telšiai, the capital of the Samogitian cultural region; the traditional multipart songs known as "sutartinės" from northeastern Lithuania (quasi-imitated by an imprecise canon created from my own voice); and the Catholic introitus "Pulkim ant kelių" ("Fall on your knees"), harmonized by late 19th- and early 20th-century composer Juozas Naujalis with words by Antanas Strazdas, recorded outside the Church of St. Theresa in Vilnius's old town.

In a sense, this work follows the ideas of the composer Bronius Kutavičius in his oratorio "Last Pagan Rites"; however, while Kutavičius illustrates the arrival of Christianity and displacement of paganism, my piece highlights the coexistence of multiple traditions as strong parts of Lithuanian identity. This is truly, for me, "the heart of Lithuania" - what makes me constantly drawn to the country as a source of inspiration for both acoustic and electroacoustic music.

The Heart of Lithuania (stereo version)

A minimalist work originally written for string orchestra but reduced for string quartet. In this piece, I experimented with subtle variations in dynamics, expressiveness, and intensity in a simple chord progression to create a unique sonic atmosphere.

Performed at Berkeley's Undergraduate Composers Club Concert on 4/30/2018 at Hertz Hall

Raina Christeson, violin
Grace Moore, violin
Zhimin Zhao, viola
Robert Hurley, cello

Elegy for Strings

Julie Michael, viola

Performed in Morrison Hall, 3-21-19

Lamentations for solo viola

Premiered July 31, 2019 at the 2019 Brevard Orchestral Readings
Whittington-Pfohl Auditorium, Brevard, NC

Brevard Music Center Orchestra
Ken Lam, conductor

Forward for orchestra

This is currently only a MIDI recording, but I am always looking for conductors who might be willing to program it!

For as long as I can remember, I have been fascinated by the unknown and the unreachable - distant astronomical objects, far-flung countries, and rarely seen tropical fruits all captured my imagination before I was a teenager. Although many of the dreams I had as a child have been doused by reality, the magical qualities of music have given me a new window into the domain of the unattainable. At a time when the real world moves all too quickly, I hope Beyond can provide a moment for pause and breathe new life into all of our dreams and imaginations.

Beyond for string orchestra (MIDI)

Sarah Brady, alto flute
Premiered at the Cortona Sessions Virtual Premiere Concert, August 19, 2020

Whether it be the tides of the Pacific Ocean, the roar of the waterfall Dettifoss in Iceland, or the serenity of the Amazon River, large bodies of water are treasured in every culture. Yet there is also beauty in water in its smaller forms – a small stream, a tiny trickle, or even simply a drop - which help create these aquatic wonders of the world. "The whispering voice of water" is a celebration of these smaller forms; beginning from a single note bordered by silence, the piece evolves into a stream of pitches spanning the full range of the alto flute.

The whispering voice of water for alto flute

Pranav Ranjit (they/them) is a composer of new music currently based in Tallinn, Estonia. Ranjit’s works explore themes of space and texture, incorporating sounds from the natural world, influences from the Carnatic music of southern India and Lithuanian folk music, and the contrasting extremes of fullness and silence.

pranjit

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