Cube

Cube was written for the International Contemporary Ensemble in the Winter of 2018. The title comes from the idea of the four instrumentalists arranged in a square with the extra dimension of depth added by electronics. Each of the four performers is paired with a set of stereo speakers that both amplify their instrument and enhance their parts using pre-made soundfiles. The music itself explores harmonic ideas in extended just intonation system, focusing on a tonic of E, but at times drifting far afield from this central pitch. The microtonal harmonies are most clearly perceived in slow, drone-like sections where the pacing of the music is modeled on breathing. These slow sections are juxtaposed with energetic solos and duos where each instrument has a chance to emerge from the texture and lead the ensemble.