Odori (2023) ~10’

[2222 2200 timp strings]

Commissioned by Ian Carleton Schaefer and premiered by the Second Ending Ensemble at Merkin Hall on June 17th, 2023.

Being half-Japanese, but growing up not speaking the language and without a large community in my hometown, I have often felt disconnected from my Japanese side. Recently, I have been trying to reconnect with my culture through music and dance. "Odori" is inspired by the festival Obon, which is a homecoming for both the living and the dead and a celebration of ancestors. A large part of the festival is communal dancing. Large groups of people of all ages come together to dance together, some in traditional dress, some in casual clothes, some who have practiced the dances, and others who are newcomers. It was this communal experience of breathing together, dancing together with cyclical sets of movements, not quite exactly together as individuals, but creating a living community that inspired this piece. The title, "Odori" means dance in Japanese. The music builds from an opening, flowing atmosphere into a groove. The groove then transforms into a world of repeated notes, ebbing and flowing, with the orchestra becoming a living community.