Resonant Machines (2021)

for Pierrot Sextet

Duration: 11 min

Commissioned by Utah Arts Festival

Instrumentation

Flute (Picc., Alto Flute), Clarinet (B.cl), Violin, Cello, Piano, Percussion

Program Note

Resonant Machines is a set of six character pieces that illustrate the clunky mechanisms of appliances, toys, and vehicles. Percussive noise combines with bright, pure harmonies to create fantastical depictions of familiar objects. In “Exhaust Fan,” “Music Box,” and “Hydraulic Pump,” we hear a depiction of faulty machines, that initiate, break down, and reset. The two movements titled “Cogs” are interludes that follow a simple paradigm: each instrument plays limited material, entering one at a time, ultimately accumulating into a complex musical texture. The final movement, “Locomotion,” begins heavily and gradually accelerates to a blazing finale.

Performances/Recordings

Recording Upcoming