WHAT IS YOUR WORLD?
for Saxophone and Electronics
Published by Just a eory Press, L.L.C. Ann Arbor, MI
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www.justatheorypress.com
Copyright © 2019 Spencer Arias (ASCAP) All Rights Reserved. For more information, visit www.spencerarias.com
Cover photograph taken by Spencer Arias in Madrid, Spain
Cover design by Benjamin Jackson © 2020 Just a eory Press, L.L.C.
First printed in January 2020
Second printing with clari cations and corrections August 2020
Typesetting by Joshua DeVries
Max Patch edited by Emily Yang
Program Note:
What is your World? was written in collaboration with Queer saxophonists and the wider Queer community. e goal of the work was to give voice to Queer voices from across the world (or at least the internet). As Queer folk, we are often times silenced and our opinions are made to be irrelevant. In asking the question, “What is your world?” my goal was to show that our worlds are more than our sexuality: we are a diverse community, we have agency to speak up when we want, and agency to stay quiet when we want. e following 117 words and phrases were provided anonymously by members of the Queer community, and have all made their way into the piece. What is Your World? was commissioned by Grace Gelpi, McCall Kochevar, Jared Waters, and Ella Marchetti.
theory Waiting connection Lonely Bright Possibilities Grief creative Eclectic
Steep Family Youth Hidden Sublime killingmesoftly Whee!
Immeasurable Small Magical
Creativity Nothing
Joanna community Inspiring Multitudes child
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—Spencer Arias June 2020
Mostly cold but, sometimes a little light shines through and it’s not so bad.
Grey Love Friends curated complicated Chaos Vibrant Depression Exhausting Music abolition building Anxiety Love Love contradictory Me Tradition Humor bursting Loveless Compassion Cat canine Miranda Appearances Wisdom Complicated Connection Creative limitless
Music. Unful lled.
Art Hopeful Safety Evolving Intimidating
Cherishing Complete nothing
Freedom Music Family Dreams Chaotic Friends overwhelming Unsteady Love
Luminescent growing Love Kids Song Connection Complicated peace borderless Roleplay Perseverance
teal Bicky Musical chaos Care In nite dark path(s) Exploration Wife Chaos Disconnected Friends polycule Mixed Untrusting Rose New color possible Whole Love closeted cisheteropatriarchy Opportunity Community Confusing Love Complicated
Performance Notes:
What is your world? explores agency for the performer. It can be performed on any saxophone; versions for Bb and Eb instruments are both included. Pitches can be played in any octave, with the octave written merely being a suggestion.
Time cues are approximate, and are not meant to be strict (±5-10 seconds is okay).
Closed stemless noteheads within a bar indicate to improvise using the pitch material provided (again in any octave). I have provided descriptive instructions within the score, but I am also open to the performer to go more improvisatory.
Traditionally notated bars (with speci c rhythms) are meant to be performed as a unit at the same tempo, but register is exible.
At the end of the piece the performer is free to improvise for about a minute, musically representing “what is your world?”
In addition to performing the work, the performer may record up to 10 words that describe their world to be inserted at various points in the xed media. Please note that this portion is entirely optional and is not required, particularly if you are experiencing dysmorphia and would prefer to have your voice not apart of the work. See the Tech Notes for more information.
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Technology Notes:
e xed media portion of the work can be triggered in a number of ways. It can be played directly from the .wav le and be performed a long with just following the time cues ±5-10 seconds.
A similar method would be to put this in a DAW (Digital Audio Workstation) such as Logic or Audacity. If you use this method you can record yourself answering the question, “In a single word, what is your world?” You can put those words anywhere throughout the piece. is is entirely optional; you are welcome to use any of the 117 words provided or record your own words.
An alternative method of performing this piece is with the provided Max patch. e current version as of this printing is v1.3.
First place the patch in presentation mode (the small monitor icon in the bottom left hand corner):
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e Max patch automatically loads the xed media audio. Press DELETE (or the labeled button) to turn the sound on/o ; the volume of the xed media can be controlled with slider on the right.
You have the option to record answers to the question, “In a single word, what is your world?” After recording these individually, save them in the folder “voicecues” included in the patch folder. Change the le names of your recordings to the numbers 1-10, in the order you would like them played during the performance. ey will automatically load into the patch. You can adjust the balance between the voice cues and the xed media with the sliders.
Pressing SPACEBAR (or using a PageFlip or other foot pedal) begins the xed media. If you have added voice cues, pressing SPACEBAR after beginning the xed media will play the voice cues in order without stopping the xed media. Cue 1 is the rst voice cue, cue 2 is the second, and so forth.
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commissioned by the Queer Saxophonist Consortium:
WHAT IS YOUR WORLD?
SPENCER ARIAS (2019)
Copyright © 2019 by Spencer Arias (ASCAP). All Rights Reserved. Published by Just a eory Press (Ann Arbor, MI). Printed in the U.S.A.
*) Time cues are all approximate (+/- 5-10 seconds). **) Stemless notes within a bar indicate an improvisation using the given pitch material. As with all pitches in this piece, the written octave is merely a suggestion and can be adjusted up or down.
play the ollo in se uence in order at a steady tempo start ith a e pitches, then add or subtract one pitch at a time 5:47
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commissioned by the Queer Saxophonist Consortium: Grace Gelpi, McCall Kochevar, Jared Waters, and Ella Marchetti
WHAT IS YOUR WORLD?
SPENCER ARIAS
Copyright © 2019 by Spencer Arias (ASCAP). All Rights Reserved. Published by Just a eory Press (Ann Arbor, MI). Printed in the U.S.A.
*) Time cues are all approximate (+/- 5-10 seconds). **) Stemless notes within a bar indicate an improvisation using the given pitch material. As with all pitches in this piece, the written octave is merely a suggestion and can be adjusted up or down.
play the ollo in se uence in order at a steady tempo start ith a e pitches, then add or subtract one pitch at a time