preludiofuga I

This piece reflects on a personal quest for identity. The sense of identity is reflected in the choice of an historical instrument, the viola da gamba, the strong use of open strings, which are the identity of a string instrument, and prelude and fugue forms. The personal quest is reflected in the treatment of the musical material and language.

The prelude in a way gives birth to a melody. The fugue takes that melody into different contexts, each reflecting on a different part of my life, from growing up in different countries to the emotions and sensations those experiences left on my identity. The fugue offers a chance to repeatedly check in with our melody and attempts to help it consolidate these experiences into a new state of being.

Composed in 2011 - premiered by Martin Zeller at the Zürcher Hochschule der Künste, Switzerland