Tesselations, composed by Devina Boughton (2020)
alto flute, Bb clarinet, violin and cello
read by Sound Icon (2021)


I knitted a sweater in Spring 2020 that had sleeves tessellating from fish into birds, adapted from a ravelry pattern inspired by MC Escher. Then, I was inspired to compose a piece where I used elements of the knitting pattern and translated it into my own musical interpretation. Looking at the score one can see "literal" shapes of fish and birds, with alternating whole tone scales and several notes representing the background. I played with the rhythmic subdivisions and orchestration as well to try and convey the feeling of knitting the sleeves and then looking back at the finished product. 

In Spring 2021  I had the opportunity to submit this to Sound Icon to record "Tessellations" and am incredibly grateful to be able to hear it played! 

Thanks to Nathan Greenslit, Yoon-Ji Lee and Andrew List, Jeff Means, and the players of Sound Icon for playing my piece!

Tesselations- by Devina Boughton (Sound Icon reading)

Improvisoimisen ja säveltämisen rajapintoja tutkiskeleva ANARKANAT lähestyy enemmän tai vähemmän perinteisiä puhaltimia ja niiden sointeja alati auki ja uteliaana. Äänet, hengitykset, värit, tekstuurit ja sävyt vievät Veera Katilaa (FIN) ja Devina Boughtonia (USA) kohti yhteisiä, tuntuvia äänimaisemia.

Veera Katila - klarinetti, bassoklarinetti, erilaiset sarvet, liru, laulu
Devina Boughton - trumpetti, pasuuna, puusarvi, laulu
(konsertista riippuen instrumentaatiot saattavat vaihdella)

ANARKANAT demo reel

Solace: Movement I was composed by Devina Boughton in March 2020
Read-through by Berklee Sinfonietta right before the covid-19 lockdown
Richard Carrick: Conductor
this recording is missing several players due to covid-19 disruptions

Solace: Movement I (read-through, 2020)

"Terms and Conditions" composed by Devina Boughton
original text samples recorded and documented by Chelsea Bihlmeyer
audio manipulation by Orion Boughton
additional vocal sample recording by Katherine Goforth, Devina Boughton
trumpet, piano recording by Devina Boughton
kantele sample recording by Aaron Wolff 
piece sample: You are my sunshine: arranged by Devina Boughton

this is the first draft in a series of projects named "Terms and Conditions" started by i3 collective in 2022, the collective consisting of Chelsea Bihlmeyer, Devina Boughton, and Beatrice Steer

this project is currently developing and in our original debut at Aalto University we never actually used this piece as we used samples in combination with live improvisation, but I decided to put this piece out here anyways because it is still a part of the process and an entirety on its own. 

additional consultation by Juhani Nuorvala, thanks for letting me throw many unhinged ideas at you

Terms unreleased

arrangement of the end of "You" by Keaton Henson
thanks to Zane Borgo, Maria and Sonja for encouraging conversation and listening to this song
all rights go to Keaton Henson!

Arrangement and all instruments by me
2 voices
3 trumpets
3 5-string kantele's (c/o jiipee)
2 pvc-pipe flutes (kiitos tuomas and venni for building huiluja w me)

words:
If you must fight
Fight with yourself and your thoughts in the night

and if you must work
work to leave some part of you on this earth

and if you must live, darling one
just live

You (Keaton Henson) small clip

sekaisin
runollinen mössödemo
sounds 
kokeellinen
henkilö- ajankohtainen
otaminen pelkoja vastaan
...

sekaisin

I. Translating
 II. Pining
III. Fleeting

Performance Notes:
Two or More conveys the act of processing one’s emotions during a tumultuous period, and finding both moments of conflict and beauty among it. The first section, I. Translating, works with one melodic motif at different pitches and rhythms against each other, inspired by spaceship transmissions as if otherworldly beings were trying to communicate in an unknown language. This is analogous with parsing through the complex ideas sometimes held in one’s own mind. The rhythm then slows down in II. Pining, and transitions to a section with more present rhythmic homophony. This section conveys the center of one’s emotions, sitting in them and processing them. Contrary motion and melodic counterpoint are explored, as well as harmonics, featuring the emotional range of the cello. The last section, III. Fleeting, almost feels like it could be many minutes longer, with a solemn melody that carries the piece to a close. As soon as one figures out one emotion or moment in one’s life it seems to pass on to something new, as is the meaning of the last section. Two or More was written for a reading clinic by the MIVOS quartet at Berklee College of Music in January, 2020.

Two or More - for string quartet (2020)

Home by Aurora
arranged by Devina Boughton
conducted and mixed by Klo Garoute
for the Underground Choir at Berklee's 4th studio album

Home  - demo mix - Underground Choir

composed/säv Devina Boughton spring/kevät 2022
this is a small herkkä kappale that might go somewhere later, putting it here now

Ilma (demo)

Pianist Nika Ko and I (Devina Boughton) arranged and covered the song "A Bird" by Anderson.Paak from his album Malibu. Feel free to take a listen!

A Bird by Anderson.Paak(cover)

trumpeter/vocalist/composer/conductor from Portland, OR. 
based in Helsinki FI
musician, artist, human
Berklee College of Music Class of 2021
Sibelius Academy Global Music department 2021-22
they/them
eng/suomi
this page is mostly for more-on-the-raw-side tracks and demos, from contemporary classical, modern jazz, nordic folk, singer songwriter
also has some old demos from my past, I like to keep them here as little windows to memories

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