STRING QUARTET #2: "FEDE"
Year: 2019
Duration: Approx. 9’00”
Instrumentation: String quartet
Commissioned as part of the 2019 Commissioning Campaign.
PERFORMANCES
*WORLD PREMIERE: 2019 by the Contemporary Ensemble at Atlantic Music Festival, Colby College, Waterville, Maine, USA.
*Mid-West Premiere, TUTTI Festival, 2020 by ETHEL String Quartet, Denison College, Grandville, Ohio, USA.
*Deus Ex Musica Sacred Chamber Music Contest Concert, 2020 by Carrefour Chamber Music Project, Shreveport, Louisiana, USA.
*Australian Premiere, (Private) 2019 by the St George’s College String Quartet, St George’s College, Perth, Western Australia, Australia.
*Broadcast, 2020 by Alba Music Festival online, Italy.
*Broadcast, 2020 by the Indiana State University Contemporary Music Festival, Indiana, USA
*Reading, 2019 by the BEO String Quartet at Charlotte New Music Festival, Charlotte, North Carolina, USA.
AWARDS
2022
*Runner-up/Finalist Red Jasper Award in Music Composition
2021
*Honorable Mention from Thailand Music and Arts Organization New Music Symposium Call for Scores
2020
*Winner of ‘Music Now’ Call for Scores competition for Indiana State University Music Now Festival.
*Winner of Deus Ex Musica Call for Scores competition.
*Semifinalist of Kaleidoscope Call for Scores
*Finalist of Keene State College International Call for Scores
PROGRAM NOTES
“Fede” is Italian for “Faith”. I was initially reluctant to title this work as I felt its nature to be fairly self-evident upon listening; or at least, I was hoping for the work’s significance to be determined by the listener’s experience, rather than a title. From an abstract perspective, however, this work might be considered an expression of faith (though not necessarily in the religious sense) set against grief, isolation and healing.
The majority of the melodic content in the work is created through the lyrical use of natural harmonics. These define very fragile, ethereal gestures in certain sections – sections which are then developed and contrasted with more strained vibrato in fully-stopped passages. Throughout the work, the quartet always remains muted, even in the various extremes of register, creating a more sombre and at times strained quality – a concept of struggle hushed by inevitability.
WORLD PREMIERE
The commissioning and world premiere of String Quartet #2: “Fede” at Atlantic Music Festival was made possible by the 2019 Commissioning Campaign. Thank you to all those who supported the campaign.
Located here is the campaign video and concert program of the premiere. The debrief video will be coming shortly!
TUTTI FESTIVAL
I was very grateful to be invited and to attend Tutti Festival in early March 2020, just before Covid-19 hit. The festival marked my Mid-West debut and my first time working with New York based string quartet ETHEL. The festival took place over 4 days in Granville, Ohio. (Thank you Ching-chu Hu!)
Recording coming soon.
BEO STRING QUARTET
As part of my 2019 Composition Tour, I attended Charlotte New Music Festival in North Carolina and worked with the Beo String Quartet to read and workshop the piece before its premiere.
ST GEORGE’S QUARTET
It was a great pleasure to work with the Perth-based St George’s College String Quartet in December of 2019 for the private Australian Premiere of String Quartet #2.
Recording coming soon.