The Silent World
COMMISSIONED
concert:nova ensemble, Ixi Chen Artistic Director
FIRST PERFORMANCE
May 23, 2010 by the concert:nova ensemble at the Cincinnati Ballet in Cincinnati, OH
ENSEMBLE
Flute, Glockenspiel, Piano, Two Violins, Viola, and Cello
DURATION
3 minutes
PROGRAM NOTE
There is something serene and placid about watching underwater creatures move in a contained space. Their motions are timeless and beautiful; their actions are purposeful but suspended in the aquarium. Watching eels, stingrays, and jellyfish float in a synthetic aquatic habitat reminds me of their simple primordial beginnings. In this piece, I created a sonic environment that synthesizes the aquarium by using various instrumental colors and basic homophonic melodies to create the timeless, murky qualities seen when visiting an aquarium.