peri{methe- (2017)

Instrumentation: mezzo-soprano, bass clarinet, baritone saxophone, percussion, violin, double bass (preferably with C-extension or 5-string)

Duration: 17 minutes

Program Information:
The literal meaning of peri{methe-, taken from its root words peri and methe, is ‘on the verge of drunkeness’. However, this is just a surface meaning. peri{methe- highlights the physical restraint, intense mental focus that is needed for one to reach nirvana. Each instrument is a single confined unit, yet at the same time all these instrumental units come together unknowingly to form a more than the sum of their parts. The singer sings fragmented schizophrenic announcements that are borrowed from various tongues—mainly Teochew (a Chinese dialect), Bahasa Indonesia and Japanese.

Premiere: May 7 2017 | Aliana de la Guardia (mezzo-soprano), Gleb Kanasevich (bass clarinet), Phillip Staeudlin (baritone saxophone), Mike Williams (percussion), Lilit Hartunian (violin) and Kate Foss (double bass) | Waltham, MA