Twelve Miniature Etudes
About the Work
Commissioned by Metropolis Ensemble for the premiere in Brooklyn Botanic Garden, Twelve Miniature Etudes is inspired by the different techniques, music elements and timbre that can be produced by various instruments. Colors I is a movement of long holding notes that build chords. Bullet Notes are melodic lines produced by fast running notes connected from one instrument to the other. Ostinato Rocks are ostinatos with polyrhythms. Imitation You and I is created by musicians imitate each other’s sound, melody, and rhythms. Funky Chords is a movement with three sets of harmonic progressions that musicians use to improvise. In Scale Plays, players use octatonic scale(s) to build a three-part structure. The sound in Duets is produced by paring of instruments. In Unison Tuning, everyone starts by playing a single melodic line and then alternates after that. Composite Hockets is created by rhythmic hockets with different groups. In Chain II, short melodic lines are created and passed around musicians using eye contacts. Rhythm Blocks builds on single note chosen by each player and rhythmic patterns created by them. Colors II is an echo of Colors I.