my eyes will gleam (2023) ~6’

[2211 1110 timp.hp.pno.SOLO mezzo-soprano.SOLO alto.SATB choir.strings]

Commissioned by Sofia Ouyang and the Columbia Bach Society

“my eyes will gleam” is a piece for Mezzo-Soprano and Alto soloists, choir, and orchestra, using the English translation of Alejandra Pizarnik’s poem, “When Eagerness Sets In.” I drew inspiration from the exploration of vowel timbres and how they can be emulated through different acoustic instruments, such as a muted trombone or the sound of an oboe versus a clarinet.

 The piece unfolds as a dialogue of vowel sounds within the orchestral landscape, gradually leading to vocal parts building the poem from syllables into the complete text. “my eyes will gleam” is the inaugural part to a larger, multi-movement project aimed at writing a full requiem. This piece is dedicated to the memory of my teacher, Mr. Hong-Guang Jia.