CHAMBER MUSIC
Elegy
for Violin and Piano
The Elegy for violin and piano is an early work that aims to model itself after the late-romantic style of chamber works for instrumentalists and pianists. The piano opens with a series of muted seventh chords to set the somber, but flowing feel of the work before the violin enters and reinforces the G Minor key with a strummed chord. Entering together, the violin dolefully sings the melody over top the piano as it provides a rich and melancholy darkness underneath. The Elegy takes a short break, bringing a bright edge of happy relief as it briefly belts a short secondary melody in the relative key of B-flat Major before returning the mournful melody in G Minor.
Premiered April 5th, 2023 by violinist Gabriel Herrera and pianist Allie Morones
Adagio con espressione
for Violin and Piano
The Adagio con espressione for violin and piano takes inspiration from the emerging French styles of classical music in the early 20th century. Specifically the work takes inspiration from forgotten composer Louis Dumas and his Lamento for viola and piano, and more well known, by comparison, composer Germaine Tailleferre and her Pastorale for violin and piano. The work takes direct inspiration from Dumas' work by recomposing his dark, ominous, and brooding piano writing in order to harmonically support the more lyrical line overlaid by the violin, which is inspired by Tailleferre. With the melodic line, it follows Tailleferre's work by centering in on the more lyrical qualities and its ability to sing over top the harmonies presented by the piano.
Premiered April 5th, 2023 by violinist Gabriel Herrera and pianist Allie Morones
Pastorale
for Cello and Piano
The Pastorale for cello and piano is a short lyrical piece that focuses on bringing out the rich qualities of the cello. The piece begins with the cello stating several short melodic phrases before the duo begin to present different permutations of the phrases. Following each variation, the duo return to the opening four bar phrase before stating the next variation. The piano's waltz-style playing combined with the depth of richness the cello provides gives allusion to a leisurely evening stroll just before sunset.
Premiered April 11th, 2024 by cellist Addy Epstein and pianist Allie Morones.
Rotting Away
for Solo Viola
Mortification (2023)
Mortification is an art exhibit that surfaces every negative emotion that coexists with shame. Shame by embarrassment, disgust, missed opportunities, regret, and overall a limp sense of hopelessness.
Every painting is intimate in their own way, and none of them want to be seen; thus, there are no faces. However, this is not to say that all hope is lost. In order to drag ourselves out of such turbulent despair, we must face these feelings and find out why we feel this way. To carry on without facing the issue is to remain ignorant of our own selves and, sometimes, develop trauma. In order to help ourselves we must do the difficult thing.
Though scary at first, the more we face our negative experiences, the more we become comfortable with them. Find that healthy balance: do not get sucked in or you will land back to square one. Remember: we are humans. We make mistakes. It's going to be okay in the end, if it's not okay then it isn't the end.
~ Priscilla A. Ibarra
Program note provided by artist Priscilla Ibarra discussing the art exhibit in which Rotting Away was a part of and premiered at.
See more of Priscilla's art and music on Instagram at the links below:
String Quartet
"Fairy-Tale Quartet"
I. Adagio lamentoso
II. Andante misterioso
III. Tempo di valse
With this string quartet, the goal was to create music that reflects a personal interpretation of various fairy-tale scenes. The opening movement is a mournful lament, evoking the feeling a protagonist may feel when losing their beloved. The following andante is more loose in interpretation, focusing on chromatics to evoke a sense of uncertainty, and mystery. The imagery evoked is that of a dark forest, filled with unknown creatures and hostile flora, or that of a witch's hut where you'd bargain for your deepest desire at a grave cost. The final movement takes the form of a waltz in a combination of a rondo and rounded binary form. The main accompaniment figure deviates from the standard waltz accompaniment in order to create an ominous and icy mood. This comes together with the various themes to create a waltz that combines nostalgia and fear to evoke ballroom parties from ages long gone.
The overall architecture of the quartet creates a small mirror effect. The outer movements are written in a rounded binary form, both with short recapitulations. The second movement acts as the mirror point, where the movement reflects on itself with the third movement mimicking the first by being written in a rounded binary. With the second movement, the mirror begins after the short chorale passage, rebuilding the textures and motifs used in the preceding phrases. The motifs are restated in reverse order in different voices until the mirror eventually returns to the initial theme back in the first violin, which is supported by a similar texture as the opening.
Premiered April 23rd, 2025 by the Aetherius Quartet:
Amy Macias, Violin I
Edgar Villegas, Violin II
Gabriel Knights-Herrera, Viola
Addy Epstein, Cello