Duo 彩 AYA - Cycles

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PROGRAM

Duo 彩 AYA Cycles

Rachel Woolf, flute Makana Jimbu, marimba Wednesday, November 1, 2023 UTSA Recital Hall 7:30 p.m.

Kembang Suling (1996) I. Bali II. Japan III. India Cycles (2023 Duo 彩 AYA Commission) Wildflowers (2023 Duo 彩 AYA Commission) Wood Wide Web II (2023 Duo 彩 AYA Commission) Kassouga (1960)

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Gareth Farr (b. 1968)

Evan Williams (b. 1988) Paul Millette (b. 1992) Miriama Young (b. 1975) Makoto Shinohara (b. 1931)

Water Planet (2023 Duo 彩 AYA Commission) For flute, marimba, and electronics

Fumihiro Ono (b. 1990)

Reunion Dance (2007)

Ney Rosauro (b. 1952)

PROGRAM NOTES Kembang Suling by Gareth Farr Farr describes the three movements of Kembang Suling as “three musical snapshots of Asia.” The first movement references the magical Indonesian island of Bali, with the marimba and flute evoking flowing gamelan melodies intertwined with the sound of the suling (Balinese bamboo flute) to form rich colourful tapestries. The performers begin the movement as one, playing their soft semiquaver material in unison to create an idyllic steam of sound. Bit by bit the flute asserts its independence, introducing chromatic departures from the opening material and blurring the movement’s harmonic character. An argument ensues, with the initial unison playing now replaced by increasingly impassioned call-and-response statements. The flute ventures into its upper register, alternating between jagged leaps and smooth ascending runs. Eventually all is restored between our two performers, with some semblance of order—but not unison—restored. Farr takes inspiration for the second movement from the Japanese shakuhachi flute, its haunting voice floating out over the warm echoes of a rolling landscape. This short, sensual movement is underpinned by the marimba’s softly rolling chords, providing space for the flute to sing in flowing rubato lines peppered with grace-note detailing, resulting gin an almost improvisatory feel. The second movement flows straight into the third, in which complex rhythms and South Indian scales set the two performers off in a race to see who can outplay the other. The marimba is set in a three-bar cycle of 5/4 + 5/8 + 5/16 but the flute plays a different cross rhythm each time, returning to the marimba’s pattern at the end of every cycle. This final movement exudes a sense of dynamic, exploratory playfulness throughout.

Kembang Suling was commissioned by Alexa Still, with financial support from Creative New Zealand. Its premiere performance was given by Alexa Still (flute) and Gareth Farr (marimba) at St. Andrews on the Terrace, in Wellington, New Zealand on 7 March 1996.

-Gareth Farr Cycles by Evan Williams Cycles takes inspiration from Steve Reich’s Clapping Music, employing five African and Afro-Cuban rhythmic “bell patterns” (Fume-fume, Bembe/Short Bell, Sorsonet, Djabara, and Kenkeni), and using a phase technique similar to Reich’s, where each bar sees one instrument play the rhythm off-set from the other player, until they cycle back into a unison rhythm. However, unlike Reich’s work, this process happens at a much faster pace, and is repeated multiple times with all of the aforementioned patterns.

Cycles seeks to capture both the trance-like and celebratory natures of the traditional African and Afro-Cuban music from which these patterns come from.

The work was commissioned by Duo 彩 AYA: Rachel Woolf, flute and Makana Jimbu, marimba.

-Evan Williams

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Wildflowers by Paul Millette I am now entering my fifth year as a Texas resident, and one of the many things I’ve learned to love about the state is its wide array of beautiful wild foliage. Even the most remote and desolate of Texas roads are lined with an extraordinary amount of stunning cacti and wildflowers. Rachel Woolf, the flutist for Duo 彩 AYA, is an avid gardener and lover of all things flower related, so when we discussed the writing of a piece for her and Makana Jimbu I knew that I wanted to somehow incorporate flowers and nature into the work. Wildflowers is a series of short vignettes that each represent the physical qualities of the wildflowers of Texas (rain lilies, purple coneflowers, eryngos, prickly pear cacti, ocotillos, bluebonnets), as well as the vibrant personalities of both Rachel and Makana.

-Paul Millette Wood Wide Web by Miriama Young Designed as a narrative, this piece portrays the crucial symbiotic relationship between mycelium (fungi) and plants which occurs in the ground beneath our feet. In a complex and fascinating reciprocal exchange, mineral nutrients pass from mycellium to plant, whilst in return metabolites are transferred from plant to mycelium: both sustain each other through symbiotic support. This piece sonifies the communication between trees (represented by wood – the marimba) and fungal hyphae (represented by vibrant, intricate flute melody), and back again. The opening – slow, sustained chords in the marimba – represents the deep, mysterious time of the forest. Flute and marimba intertwine in a dialogue, as if ‘talking’ through sound. As it develops, the melodic line (hypha) splits into counterpoint with itself, much like a rhizome. The complex rhythms played are extrapolated from bioelectrical signals of the fungi organism: thanks to Michael Allen Z. Prime (Carbon Ladder) for sonifying the sound of Merlin Sheldrake’s book Entangled Life as it is being devoured by mushrooms.

Commissioned by Duo Aya, the piece builds on my original work, Wood Wide Web [I], which was designed specifically as a musical experience for Australian primary school children to enhance awareness of the natural environment, and specifically to educate around the vital contribution that fungi play in nature.

The piece includes an optional audience participation component – where the audience choir can produce a given drone which helps to sustain the musical life of the piece.

-Miriama Young Kassouga by Makato Shinohara Makoto Shinohara’s Kassouga, originally scored for flute and piano, beautifully captures the essence of spring, or “kassouga” in Japanese. This work is dedicated to Japanese flutist Hirohiko Kato, and it masterfully combines expressive melodies and rhythmic vitality to evoke the spirit of the season.

The opening displays expressive musical storytelling of the blossoming of spring, serving as a homage to the traditional Japanese shakuhachi flute. The second section provides a dynamic contrast to the opening. Shinohara’s use of vibrant syncopated rhythms and lively melodies evokes lively cherry blossom festivals, energetic dance, and the renewal of life that spring brings.

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Water Planet by Fumihiro Ono A space probe, loaded with memories of Earth, goes on a journey to discover an unknown planet...

The biggest inspiration for my composition was the Golden Record on the Voyager mission. The two probes launched by NASA in 1977 are still exploring until their batteries run out (in 2023). I imagined a fictitious probe like Voyager that encounters an unknown water planet, and I decided to compose the music based on this idea.

Time is a fundamental theme of my compositions. For Water Planet, the keyword “memory” suddenly came to my mind. It is not a memory of a period of years or decades, but a memory of a much longer time than we may be able to grasp. Those who have overcome obstacles again and again can know the vast “memories” of the past that exist in the world of the far future. I wanted to travel such a journey through this work. From the moment I began to compose with the keyboard, I felt the sensation of all five of my senses, just like when I first became curious about something as a child. I started the adventure of composing Water Planet as if recalling these memories.

This piece, commissioned by Duo 彩 AYA, was composed for marimba, flute and electronic sounds.

First, we will focus on this work from an instrumental point of view. The marimba is a wood percussion instrument, the flute is a woodwind instrument. The electronic sounds (electroacoustic instruments) are, naturally, not treated as acoustic musical instruments. Composing a composition with such heterogeneous instruments is a rather complicated matter in terms of actual sound effects.

However, I thought that the different personalities of these instruments could create an effect of space: marimba represents nature and civilization on the Earth, the flute represents the atmosphere of outer space, and the electronic sounds represent the space probe. The arrangement of the flute’s and marimba’s voices, the timbre of each instrument, and the way each instrument is played and articulated helped create the fantasy of an interstellar roving probe encountering different worlds. All the electronic sounds in this composition were recorded, sampled, and edited by me.

From a music-theoretical point of view, “sound” in space cannot be described in human terms as without air, there is no sound. But sound in our world must always have a primitive, physical existence. As a result, this piece often mixes different tempos simultaneously: accelerando, consistent tempo, and ritardando are given to each player separately. The illusion is of a cosmic space where different forces and energies are flying around, translated into sound. I decided to take a primitive approach based on the Pythagorean temperament, which is based on the 3:2 ratio and the monochord. The music is based on the pentatonic scale, G→A→C→E→F→Gb, which simultaneously uses a diminished triad and a major seventh chord, and makes the listener feel uneasy. The scale and harmony of this dissonant range always creates a sense of anticipation and anxiety, such as when encountering the unknown.

Finally, Water Planet is the result of the creativity of both Makana Jimbu and Rachel Woolf. Their ideas motivated and inspired the composition. They are performing it in its world premiere, first in the US and then in Japan. After that, I am confident that it will become a work that will be loved and played all over the world. I would like to express my deep appreciation to Rachel and Makana for giving me the opportunity to create this work.

-Fumihiro Ono

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Reunion Dance by Ney Rosauro Reunion Dance serves as the fitting and joyous conclusion to this program, celebrating a reunion between musicians and friends, Rachel and Makana. This vibrant composition draws inspiration from the lively Baião, one of the most beloved dance rhythms hailing from Northeastern Brazil. It encapsulates the spirit of reuniting and the shared joy of music, where the constant musical dialogue between soloists infuses the piece with a palpable sense of excitement. The melodies are crafted in the Mixolydian scale, often associated with the rich traditions of Brazilian music. This music will transport the listener to a place where vibrant colors, lively festivals, and the spirit of Brazilian culture reign supreme.

ARTIST BIOGRAPHIES Duo 彩 AYA, a dynamic collaboration between virtuoso players Rachel Woolf, flute, and Makana Jimbu, marimba, brings together two distinct musical voices across the globe to redefine the boundaries of chamber music. With Rachel based in the vibrant city of San Antonio, Texas, and Makana rooted in the bustling metropolis of Tokyo, Japan, their collaboration creates an electrifying musical partnership that resonates across cultures and continents.

Their upcoming tour is a testament to their unwavering dedication to the creation and performance of new works. Their commissioned compositions by Evan Williams, Miriama Young, Paul Millette, and Fumihiro Ono are set to enrich the flute and marimba repertoire, showcasing Duo 彩 AYA’s commitment to the evolution of their art form. With every note they play, Duo 彩 AYA forges connections across continents and cultures, leaving an indelible mark on the world of music.

Duo 彩 AYA Official Website: www.duoaya.com Rachel Woolf stands as a multifaceted musician whose artist journey has traversed classical, contemporary, and experimental realms. Serving as Assistant Professor of Flute at the University of Texas at San Antonio School of Music, Rachel’s influence extends far beyond academia.

She holds roles as Principal Flute with the Victoria Bach Festival, contributing flutist to the innovative symphonic pop rock ensemble The Polyphonic Spree, and performs regularly with the San Antonio Philharmonic and United States Air Force Band of the West.

Rachel’s presence on the stage of prestigious events such as the National Flute Association Convention (NFA), North American Saxophone Alliance (NASA) and International Clarinet Association (ClarinetFest), has solidified her reputation as an exceptional performer.

Beyond traditional genres, Rachel’s collaborations have spanned a diverse spectrum, including performances with Swedish-Argentinian indie folk singer Jośe 6

González, multi-platinum operatic pop sensation Il Divo, and Emmy-winning artist Darren Criss. She can be heard on experimental rock band Swans album, “The Glowing Man.” Rachel received her Bachelor of Music at the University of Michigan, Master in Music at Bowling Green State University, and Doctor of Musical Arts at the University of North Texas. Her primary teachers include Amy Porter, Conor Nelson, Terri Sundberg, James Scott, and Karen Reynolds. www.rachelwoolf.net Makana Jimbu’s musical journey commenced at a young age in Japan where her passion for piano and electronic organ flourished under the guidance of Yamaha Music School. Her talents expanded to composition, setting the stage for a lifelong dedication to music. The world of percussion beckoned her, and she answered the call with remarkable success.

Makana’s pursuit of musical excellence led her to the United States, where she pursued study at the University of North Texas. Makana’s journey expanded to embrace the world stage. Her achievements spanned international competitions with notable accomplishments in Poland, Taiwan, and Italy, demonstrating her prowess and versatility.

Endorsed by Innovative Percussion, Makana’s commitment to music extends to her role as an educator, imparting her knowledge to students of all ages. Her dedication to both performance and education is exemplified through her inspiring presence in the Tokyo music scene.

Makana received her Bachelor of Music from Senzoku Gakuen College of Music, and her Artist Certificate and Master of Music at University of North Texas. Her primary teachers include Momoko Kamiya, Kikuiko Ishi, Christopher Deane, and Mark Ford. www.makanajimbu.com www.innovativepercussion.com/artists/makana_jimbu

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