blimunda songs (2017) for pierrot ensemble

blimunda songs is a set of 4 miniatures for pierrot ensemble. While each of these pieces evokes a different mood and character, they are also unified by subtle recurring details: gestures and harmonies that reemerge in each movement, fragments of melodic material that persistently reappear. Although this is not a programmatic work by any means, the title references José Saramago’s novel Baltasar and Blimunda, which contrasts harsh realism with wonder and suffering with humor. I attempted to capture these juxtapositions in the four movements of this piece. The first movement places long sustained chords side by side with quick descending gestures; the second is a dance-like scherzo; the third uses fragmented constellations of sound against breathy backdrop; and the fourth literally and figuratively echoes the first three movements.
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blimunda songs is scored for flute (doubling piccolo), clarinet in Bb, violin, cello, percussion, and piano, and was written as a part of Atlantic Music Festival in 2017. 

The AMF Contemporary Ensembles premieres blimunda songs July 2017

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selected performances
Mar. 2020 ​— Paul Novak's Senior Recital, conducted by Joshua Hong, Rice University, Houston, TX
​Mar. 2019 — Shepherd School of Music Composition Undergrad Recital, Rice University, Houston, TX
Mar. 2019 — Faculty of Webster University, Community Music School of Webster University, St. Louis, MO​           
Sep. 2018 — SCI National Conference, members of IU New Music Ensemble, Bloomington, IN
Feb. 2018 — Ensemble Ibis, Frost School of Music, Miami, FL
Jul. 2017 — AMF Contemporary Ensemble, Atlantic Music Festival, Waterville, ME

selected honors 
Webster University Young Composer’s Competition, First Prize
SCI National Conference Call for Scores, Chosen Submission
Frost Composition Competition, First Prize