Pink Noise (2018)
for cello duo and electronics
7'30
Premiered by Brianna Tagliaferro and Ben Baker (Sentient Robots) at the Boston Conservatory on
26th January, 2019.
Pink Noise is a type of noise signal with equal energy in all frequencies, and does feel like there’s a burst of energy pushing down on me from every side this semester. I’m constantly feeling completely spent. The two cellos slowly rise from the texture of noise and glitchy sounds, at first covered up by noise from pre-recorded sounds of their own playing. Eventually the cellos realise that they must work with the noise in order to cut through. They play noisy sounds, in time with the pink noise bursts, as well as double/triplet stops and fast passages to relate to the noise, while also focusing on the high harmonics they really want to be playing. Essentially, these high harmonics resemble what I really want to focus on - my art - i.e. composing, (but also engraving), and my relationships. That’s the metaphorical spiel. Another way of looking at it - I originally wrote this for Sentient Robots, a cello duet with Brianna Tagliaferro and Ben Baker, and got them to record some cool sounds that I used as the basis for a ambient electronic piece.