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In
the Shadow,
Quintet for Violin, Clarinet, Saxophone, Piano and Percussion
(2004). The piece was commissioned by Anton Webern Quartet and
premiered at BKA theatre in Berlin, Germany in 2005. Expressing
the shadow with color, shall I use colorless, clear one? The open
desire that never been cleared, may allow any color on it because
there is no color in the shadow. The piece is open to all kinds
of emotion that always hided in my behind shadow – delight
and sadness, hope and frustration, rage and forgiveness. In this
world, we see all the contrary things exist like those emotions.
I only can see the brighter part of mine despite these conflicting
mixes because I can hide them again in the shadow.
The
Day and Hour Unknown,
sextet for Flute, Oboe, Bb Clarinet, Violin, Cello, and Piano
(2002), is composed by 7 short episodes, which used a four- note
main motive, A-Bb-G-Gb. This four - note motive is structured
by minor 2nd, and major 6th, and it transposed in each episode.
This consists of polyphonic texture that manifests itself though
single line units and complex chordal segments. These two elements
alternate though the piece successively, appearing in coloristic
transition especially in episode 5, adagio movement. The title
is from the bible and this piece express this alert.
"No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels
in heaven, nor the son, but only the Father. Be on guard! Be alert!
You do not know when that time will come." (Mark 13:32)
Memoria
#2, for Piano solo (2002) is about my memories of living
in New York City for three years. It was the first place I lived
for a long period of time after I left my country. My first memory
has always been of my Korean homeland, and NYC is my second homeland.
"Memoria" translates as "Memory" in Latin.
The work implies the memory of the past and the remaining memories
till now. This piece consists of two movements; Andante and Allegro.The
first movement Andante is structured by a major and minor triad
chord in B. Every possible chord including the B note is the main
motivic idea. In the beginning, when the chordal motive is playing
in the right hand, the bass line moves to A-G-F#-F from the main
tone of B. This consists of a polyphonic texture that manifests
itself though single line units and complex chordal segments.
These two elements alternate though the piece successively, appearing
in colorist transition. The piece ends back to the main tone of
B, which also represents how my memory is still remaining in the
same place. The second movement, Allegro, has many irregular beats
such as 5/8, 7/8, 8/8, 9/8 through the entire work. The subtitle
of this movement is "Busy, Dizzy, Noisy", which is also
from my memory of Downtown New York City. The rhythmical piano
phrases are provided to have a percussive effect. It also combines
quartal and quintal chords that are expressed in my subtitle.
This movement consists of very dark sounds with a very fast, percussive
moving line.
Echo,
for Flute, Clarinet, and Piano was premiered at the Summer New
Music Festival in Florence, Italy in 2002. The piece was inspired
by the acoustic resonance from an old church in Florence where
the piece was premiered. The formal outline of the piece is A-B-A.
The first strong unison slowly spreads apart and then gradually
the trio move together to the high range of each instrument. The
slow section expresses the lingering imagery of peaceful Sunday
afternoon.
San
(The Mountain), for Orchestra (2004), is
about my memories of the mountains in Korea. As the magnificent
views of the mountains draw near,I receive an impression of their
nobility. The grand sight brings a powerful image of the mountain.
The piece consists two juxtaposed motives (maestoso and fast),
which are the shape and image of the mountain. They are structured
in a combination of quartal and quintalchords, one represented
by the horizontal phrase, and the other represented by the vertical
rhythmic line. After the opening, there are very slow phrases
using a pentatonic scale, which fills in the aural images of the
Korean mountains in my memories. The ascending and descending
phrase consisting of intervals of a fifth, paints the images of
the vertical face of the mountain. This phrase manifests itself,
from a single line and builds into complex chordal segments. These
two elements alternate throughout the piece holding the piece
together.
Three
moments for Clarinet Ensemble (2003) is composed
of three short movements, each movements depict three different
moments. The Decision movement begins with a strong statement
of conviction. Each forceful phrase ends on an accent, emphasizing
and developing the decision throughout the moment. The slow second
moment is inspired by the moods of the afternoon on Sunday, which
has warm and infinite relaxation. The last movement, The Chase
is very melodic and has variations of a theme, which symbolizes
a unifying moment. This piece is commissioned by University of
Florida, Clarinet Ensemble.
The
Morning Dew, for solo Marimba (2003) is
about the moment just before dawn when dewdrops form. The music
flows like the morning dew, forming suddenly but slowly and drying
up in the morning light. This piece consists five episodes, structured
in a theme and variation form. The various themes lead up to the
statement of the main theme starting in the first measure of the
final section, which is the end of the journey of the morning
dew. The melody is weaved into the texture of the work, appearing
in colorist transition. The clear melody finally appears at the
very last moment.
Daydream
for solo Bass Clarinet, is inspired by the moods
of a daydream. The formal outline of the piece is the sonata form.
The piece begins with fast passages of expressive imagination.
One of reverie sets up in the second theme with slow phrases.
The slow melody disperses and closes the exposition. The tension
of the daydream builds up and brings more reveries in the Development
section. The piece ends with the main reverie, and the music fades
away, but the daydream continues.
Meditation
for Solo Bass and Piano, is composed of three short movements,
which combined slow-fast-very slow. This piece inspired by moods
and progressions in the states of meditation. The work begins
with a slow movement, which expresses the preparation. However,
during the process of Meditation, a loss of concentration occurs
and the mind is thrown into a state of confusion. The mind lapses
in and out of meditation and finally, back to the soothing relaxation
of meditation of the third movement. Beginning with a sense of
deep thoughts, in the repeated low C, and continues the thematic
repeated low notes until the end in the same manor. The music
fades away, but the deep Meditation begins. Lunar Dance for solo
Piccolo is a one-movement work, which depicts the illumination
of the moon. The formal outline of the piece is A-B-C-B-A. Each
section depicts different phases of the moon starting with a new
moon, crescent, full, crescent and new again. Just like the different
phases of the moon there is a new character in each of the sections
in the piece.
The
Search, for Bass Saxophone and Computer. This work
explores the search of a mysterious sound world. The search is
extended by the conversation between the instruments and the computer
processing. This piece uses extended techniques on the Bass Saxophone,
and Max/MSP for the signal processing. The search continues what
it is, and ends what it was.
Awaiting, for two-channel audio. The
piece has an internal calling, like a siren from a surreal place.
It portrays a gently disturbed soul, a solitary unknown figure
with a spirit drawing from deep within. This piece explores the
internal world and attempts to discover what feeds the soul. But
only glimpses of the destination appear. Throughout the piece,
the meaning of the cryptic message begins to become clear. I am,
however, still waiting.
Calling from a Distance for Flute, Piano
and Computer (2003), is based on the sounds of Korean percussion
instruments; a Bak, Korean Bells and Drums, recorded and used
in the tape. The recorded sounds are altered by the computer.
The Flute and Piano play musical gestures calling to each other,
at first the response is distant, but it gradually becomes closer.
The piece starts with the sound of a Bak, is always heard at the
very beginning of a piece of Korean traditional music. It also
signifies the beginning of this piece. The calls get closer and
at the moment the message becomes unclear and fades away.
Chun-Gi-In
(Heaven, Earth and Human) (2002), this work is based on
an ancient Korean philosophy called "Chun-Gi-In" (Heaven,
Earth & Human) It emphasizes harmony between nature and human
life. When these three poles; Chun-Gi-In (Heaven, Earth &
Human) are working together in our existence, the universe starts
its natural movement. As Yin and Yang (two opposing energies-
Ki) makes harmony, Heaven and Earth are revolving. Finally, all
three things are working as one, and the piece ends as it had
begun. In this piece, I combine the Korean instruments (Dae-kum,
Hae-kum, and Korean drums) and a Korean aesthetic singer. She
sings how beautiful this nature is, and how it will live forever.
This piece is commissioned by the Dance Department at New York
University.
32°C
(2002) is based on the sound of the natural that recorded
this summer in Korea. At the beginning of he piece, the recorded
sounds are altered by computer transformations. The piece actually
resorts to only a few germinal sounds, recordings of the pond,
of birds and wood, as well as the wood block and the bell in a
Buddhist Temple, where my grand mother goes. These were then transformed
and multiplized using several operations: filtering, modulating,
reverberating, specializing, and mixing. I remember the very hot
day this summer, in Korea and wish 32°C = 32°F.
Image
of the East Sea, Quartet for Fl, Bb Cla, Cello, and Perc.
(2000). When I writing this work, I imagined the east sea in Korea.
There is some mystery of my homeland. Whenever I imagine of East
Sea, I can hear the breath of our ancestors speaking quietly,
and I can see the all of our history. The piece starts slowly
with the sun raising in the East Sea. The work increases in tempo
and in the last movement, the ensemble plays 5 strong beats continuously
to the end.
I
composed FLYING IN NEW YORK ON SUMMER NIGHT, Quartet
for Flute, Bb Clarinet, Cello, & Percussion (1999) at a time
when I missed my homeland. This piece has lot of fast passages.
It expresses my desire to fly back to my homeland. The continuous
fast passages of the marimba express my situation of not being
able to go back to my homeland right now. The scales in the marimba
solo part, using F-G-A#-B-D#, is derived from traditional pentatonic
scale of my country.
From
Children's songs (Written & Copyright by Unknown),
these three pieces are from my "New Children's song".
Based on old children's text. I incorporated my own music, and
own words for the songs. This added some new and fun ideas to
the songs. I tried to express characters for each animal. "Angels
watching over me" is based on a melodic line of a traditional
Korean lullaby, "Se-ya, Se-ya, Parang Se-ya".
A
Street Scene for Woodwind Quintet (2001, rev. 2004). One
day I was down on the street from the library. There are so many
different people and different things happening as elapsed. The
work is composed in 5 short movements, but the movements are played
continuously. Each scene has a short bridge before the next scene.
I used my own pentatonic scale and a traditional Korean pentatonic
scale for this piece. Each movement has a different story regarding
a street scene.
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