SKETCHES FROM A NEURODIVERGENT MIND
Woodwind Quintet
Duration: 12.5 minutes
Program Notes
I: Allegro
II: Adagio
III: Moderato
IV: Largo
V: Presto
This was my first multi-movement work. This was an attempt to become more personal in my work as I myself am an autistic man and I wanted to musically capture different kinds of neurological (ADHD, Autism, Synaesthesia, Depression, etc) in a manner of my own kind of musical affirmation.
I've always been perplexed about the word "neurotypical" for people who have "normal" brain patterns as no two brains are truly alike on a cellular level. Moreover, our brains are constantly changing based on new information, life events, purposeful training, what have you and I thought I could create very vivacious musical imagery from this kind of notion in mind. I set out to create 5 different pieces to showcase a musical interpretation of 5 different characteristics and adding different ideas of contrast to showcase the beauty of different neurological concepts.
EVOCATIONS OF A PANDEMIC-INDUCED CURIOSITY
Cello and Vibraphone
Duration: 9 minutes
Program Notes
I: Rhythm
II: Harmony
III: Melody
When I began writing this work, I was unemployed, living on Employment Insurance and I needed to put my energy towards a creative outlet to keep myself sane (when I wasn't looking for work). I decided I was gonna write a work for Cello and Vibraphone because I had an innate curiosity about two instruments that have stark contrast sonically and wondered about how I can bring these instruments to coalesce into a work that would bring out the best in each instrument.
Moreover, this was an attempt of discovering what kinds of sounds can these instruments make and using colour as a barometer of structure within the context of rhythm, melody and harmony. This was also an attempt to consolidate what I had learned thus far with my particular sensibilities and proclivities towards sound.