homemade recipe: nasi ulam (2020)

Commission: Georgia Music Educators Association (GMEA) District XII for the GMEA District XII Middle School Honor Band 2020

Instrumentation: piccolo, 2 flutes, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets, bass clarinet, bassoon, 2 alto sax, tenor sax, baritone sax, 4 horns in F, 3 trumpets in Bb, 2 trombones, euphonium, tuba, timpani, percussion 1 (vibraphone), percussion 2 (2 tomtoms, suspended cymbal), percussion 3 (hi-hat, ride cymbal, snare drum, bass drum), percussion 4 (glockenspiel, xylophone)

Duration: 5 minutes

Program Information:
homemade recipe: nasi ulam is a sonic reimagination of a recipe of nasi ulam, a Peranakan mixed herb rice that can be found in Malaysia, Indonesia (Bali), Thailand and Singapore. Nasi ulam consists of cooled cooked rice, mixed with shallots, galangal, lemongrass, coconut, chili, calamansi juice, with chopped herbs such as daun kaduk (wild pepper leaf), daun kesum (coriander leaf), kafir lime leaf, mint leaf, turmeric leaf, Thai basil and ginger flower. Shredded fish or shrimp is often mixed in as well. The work includes melodies and interlocking rhythmic patterns that evokes sounds from the straits of Southeast Asia.

[Grade 2.5/3] 

Premiere: February 8 2020 | GMEA District XII Middle School Honor Band and Jaclyn Hartenberger | Lovinggood Middle School, Powder Springs GA