PROJECT : ENCORE™: N/A

 
Program Notes:
 

 
In this piece, I combined two musical contexts, which are Thai language and style and western harmony. It is very obvious that the texts are not in English, but it is written by using English characters to make it easier to read for non-native speakers. Furthermore, most of the melodic direction, scale, and rhythmic pattern are not in western style. On the other hand, in term of harmony, it is obvious that this piece is harmonize in western style by using chords and some counterpoints, which Thai music does not have these two elements.

Although premiered at Jordan Hall in March 2003 by a children’s chorus (PALS) with baritone soloist, The Voice of Isaac has subsequently been presented with solo adult voices and  can effectly be presented in several possible ways including adult singers (chorus and soloists) only, as well as a combination of adult and children singing choral and solo parts.

Program note [from March 2003 Jordan Hall premiere]:

On a Mountain Path was composed in the fall and winter of 2008-2009 for Voci Chamber Chorus. The inspiration for the piece came from the theme of the concert it was composed for: mountains and rivers with an East-meets-West subtheme. As I contemplated how I might realize this theme, I was immediately drawn to the idea of setting haiku. I have always been attracted to the simplicity and austerity of the form, and the wonderful invention it has inspired. I settled on five texts by Basho that all feature mountains. “Natsu kodachi” centers around a pun on th

A golem is a creature from Jewish folklore, made from mud or clay and brought to life through a Kabbalistic ceremony. The Golem Psalms is a choral cantata for baritone solo, SATB chorus and orchestra based on the 16th Century legend of the Golem of Prague where Rabbi Lowe created a Golem as a protector for the Jewish people. The cantata is structured as a series of 7 tableaus inspired by the story with a libretto, written for this work, by Dr.