Behind the universe
Chaos turns to structure. Energy flies everywhere. Harmonic glides reveal the expanse of sound. For string quintet. Finalist for the American Prize in Composition.
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Watch the world Premiere performace
Presented by the Juventas New Music Ensemble for their program Small Bear, Large Telescope
Program Note
What happened in the beginning of the universe? Over the past couple of centuries, tremendous strides have been made to answer this question, and modern science has offered interesting clarity on the beginning of everything. After the Big Bang, space expands and energy cools, revealing the structure of matter and the beauty of newly developed objects. In Behind the Universe, I wanted to reflect on these new discoveries through music and demonstrate the power, expanse, and breathtaking beauty we know the cosmos to be.
The piece begins right before the Big Bang, frantic figures appear in all voices as energy bounces intensely from figure to figure. Suddenly, there is a burst of energy unlike the previous gestures and so symbolizes the singularity of the Big Bang. After this point, the voices slowly calm, and individual gestures become recognizable. Harmony is introduced along with repeated figures, dynamic contrast, and expanded ranges. The piece ends with the introduction of a single melody hinting at the music to come.