The artist Sibylle Hauert created an interactive soundwalk. We walk with headphones through the city. A headtracker tracks our movements. Virtual sounds are played, while I walk beside the Rhine. It's about, what we hear and how our brain works with that, what we hear.

Soundwalk mit Sibylle Hauert

Quarteto de cordas no.4 "Uma qualquer esperança"
streiff Quartett (Switzerland)
Egidius Streiff, 1o. violino
Kazumi Suzuki Kraft, 2o. violino
Mariana Doughty, viola
Sebastien Singer, violoncelo

Premiered on Sep, 29th, 2022, at Alter Stadthaussaal, Winterthur and 
on Sep. 30th, at BauArt Basel.
Live recording, Delemont, Switzerland. Oct, 2022.

Inspirado nos poemas "Aviso Final", de Torquato Neto e, "Esperança", de Mário Quintana.

É preciso que haja alguma coisa
alimentando o meu povo;
uma vontade
uma certeza
uma qualquer esperança.

É preciso que alguma coisa atraia

a vida

ou tudo será posto de lado
e na procura da vida
a morte virá na frente
e abrirá caminhos.

É preciso que haja algum respeito,
ao menos um esboço
ou a dignidade humana se afirmará
a machadadas. (Torquato Neto)

Lá bem no alto do décimo segundo andar do Ano
Vive uma louca chamada Esperança
E ela pensa que quando todas as sirenas
Todas as buzinas
Todos os reco-recos tocarem
Atira-se
E — ó delicioso voo!
Ela será encontrada miraculosamente incólume na calçada,
Outra vez criança…
E em torno dela indagará o povo:
— Como é teu nome, meninazinha de olhos verdes?
E ela lhes dirá
(É preciso dizer-lhes tudo de novo!)
Ela lhes dirá bem devagarinho, para que não esqueçam:
— O meu nome é ES-PE-RAN-ÇA…(Mário Quintana)

Quarteto de cordas no.4 "Uma qualquer esperança" (2021)

Pathos Of Love For Pipa Solo

Pipa musician: Qi Jie
Compose: Mao Zhu

Pathos of Love, this solo for the pipa is an adaptation of my Violin piece "To My Beloved". The tuning of the pipa of this work uses E, B- flat, e, and a. A subtle change of Pipa’s timbre is caused by loosening the fourth and third strings, while the tritone formed between the open strings create a natural tension of the music. Relaxed dark timbre and tension in pitch, this contrast forms the pathos and melancholy tone of the work.

Pathos Of Love For Pipa Solo

A Plurality of One (1982) was commissioned by clarinetist Robert Hill for premiere in Cleveland, Ohio.  The idea for the piece came from a recording session which provided a variety of clarinet sounds for the composer to use in making the accompanying tape part – that is, to use ONLY clarinet sounds, thereby insuring a strict timbral unity between soloist and tape.  
This recording is by clarinetist Patricia Kostek-Huebner.

A Plurality of One

Live performance of the US Premiere of Chen Yi's viola concerto, Xian Shi, with Michael Hall, viola and the Chicago Composers Orchestra. Matthew Kasper, conductor.  Xian Shi is the first viola concerto written by a Chinese composer. 

Chen Yi –  "Xian Shi" Concerto for viola and orchestra. American Premiere

Performed by:
- Kalo hoyle
- Taylor Gwin 


We Sing Together

Folium cubed (2015) is part of a set of pocket pieces inspired by a poem by a friend and musician/collaborator, Luisa Sello for whom I wrote Flone.  Luisa invited me and another close collaborator friend, Michael Hall to Europe in 2015 to premiere Folium prime for audience and viola (2014).  Folium squared was then commissioned for flute and cello for Luisa and Alvin Wong, another great musician/collaborator friend.  All three pieces from the set are inspired by Luisa's poem, the first she wrote in English called, "Let Clover Be Aid" which she shared with me when she visited Kansas City in 2014.

Let Clover be Aid 

I did not ask to hide my tears
 I did not ask
I only stand in fears

Why do you ask me who I am
I am you, me, them

I did not ask to blush in shame
I did not ask
I have no name

Why do you push me to try
I do not want to go and die

Eyes, 
of forgotten boys
I still remember 
those silent cries

Eyes,
of girls abused,
the sky is dark
their dreams confused

Unwanted children,
betrayed and lost
the life has no worth 
for a part of them most
 
Someone told me
that life is a way  
to redress and repair 
what others have made  

Let clover be symbol
of love and support
in order to aid
the children in the world 

Folium cubed completes the "third leaf" and was composed for my colleague Zach Shemon.  This piece is built around emphasized words and emotions from the poem.  While each of the pocket pieces can be realized separately, the set reflects a similar aesthetic: reflecting a clover including both the biological form and geometric equation - implying the possibility of the infinite.  The sonic map for each piece is the same, but each piece is realized very differently.


Folium Cubed

Scarborough fair mbira

Traditional mbira song - a call to 'wake up, let's go'.
Weekend project with garageband..

Pathos Of Love For Pipa Solo

Mao Zhu

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