List of Compositions

Orchestra/Large Ensemble

Symphony of the Hawai‘i Forests: Reflections on Ka Wai Ke Kumu Ola (2023) Full orchestra

Tear of the Clouds (2022) 1011-0000-4221

Arrow of Time (2016) sinfonietta

Ripple Effect (2013) sinfonietta; (2015) full orchestra

Terra Firma (2011) jazz ensemble

Daydreams (2010) wind ensemble

Undercurrent (2010) sinfonietta

Sunrise From a Distant Past (2007) full orchestra

Concerto for Orchestra (2006) full orchestra

Seaching the Constellations (2006) full orchestra

Chamber, Solo & Duo

Stillness in the Mist (2022) violin duo

Koholā Sings (2021) solo harp

A Melody From an Unknown Place (2020) solo violin

Adaptation Variations (2019) fl, cl, hn, percussion, vln, vla, vc

Wavelengths (2019) fl, cl, vln, vc

But Beautiful (2018) koto and cello

Faded Aura (2017) shakuhachi, fl, cl, vln, vc

American Postcards: Picture Brides (Hawaii 1908-1924) (2017) string quartet (doubling on ukulele)

Sunburnt (2017) bassoon or saxophone quartet

Snapshots (2017) alto saxophone and bassoon

Reenactment (2017) gayageum and electronics

Crosscurrents (2016) shamisen and violin

Doublethink (2015) saxophone quartet

Iridescence (2015) solo piano

To A Balloon Laden with Knowledge (2015) SSAATTBB Choir

Conversations in the Garden (2015) viola, guitar, piano, sound installation

City of Imagination (2015) erhu, dizi, yangqin, sheng, pipa, guzheng

Taepyeongga (2014) ajaeng, ob. guit. pno. perc.

Of the Moon (2014) shakuhachi and koto

The Distance of the Moon (2014) shakuhachi, koto, and string quartet

Vanishing Act (2013-14) vln, piano, perc.

Secret Dimension (2013) cl, vln, vc, piano

A Glimpse of a Reflection (2013) guzheng and electronics

Trade Winds (2012) flute and piano

Across the Open Sky (2012) 2 violins, cello

Neon Flicker (2012) duo

Piano Trio (2012) violin, cello, piano

Palpitations (2011) alto saxophone solo

Afterimage (2011) cello solo

Parallel Divergence (2011) fl., b. cl., vln., vc., piano

Soliloquy (2010) piano solo

Intermezzo (2010) piano solo

Variations on a Theme by Brahms (2010) ob., c.a., cl., vln., vc.

Stargazing (2010) violin and electronics

Echolocation (2009) saxophone quartet

Event Horizon (2009) string quartet

Impromptu (2008) violin and piano

Automata (2008) piano solo

Sarcasms (2008) alto saxophone and piano

Toccata (2007) violin and piano

Delights and Shadows (2007) bass voice and piano

Recurrency (2007) cello octet

Imprints (2006) 2 pianos

Pins and Needles (2006) fl., cl., vln., vla., vc., piano

Sounds and Shapes (2004) fl., cl., vln., vc., piano, percussion

 

Afterimage (2011)

for cello solo

duration: 8 minutes

Listen:

Performers: Kathryn Bates

Score Excerpt: PDF

Perusal/Purchase: contact me

 

Program Notes

Afterimage was written as a wedding gift for my friend and cellist Kathryn Bates – a gift that was "only" late by a few years.  Faced with such a severe writer’s block, I took Stravinky’s seemingly paradoxical advice of imposing arbitrary constraints in order to stimulate creativity.  The limits that I imposed were idiosyncratic to the possibilities offered by a cello: the piece is composed using only natural harmonics, and pizzicato played on the open strings.  The strings have been de-tuned to offer a less conventional set of notes, but ultimately, I was left with a total of 23 notes to work with.  True enough, once this constraint was put into place, I was able to compose relatively quickly. 
“Afterimage” refers to an image that remains in one’s vision long after the original image disappears.  The two playing techniques utilized in this piece remind me such an optical illusion.  Natural harmonics have a transparent, mirage-like sound compared to the ordinary velvety sound of a bowed cello.  Similarly, a pizzicato played on an open string, especially when played by just the left hand, looks like a sleight of hand on an instrument that usually requires two hands to play.
I would like to thank Kathryn for her invaluable musical insights throughout the compositional process.  It has been a truly collaborative effort and I could not have written the piece without her dedication to the piece.