Ayane Kozasa, viola; Paul Wiancko, cello
Spoleto Festival 2024
Program Notes
In John Kabat-Zinn’s seminal book on meditation Wherever You Go, There You Are, he speaks of how we are always encouraged to look forward, to think into the future — but what if this is it? What if we sat with each moment, savoring it as if it was that special, unique, pinnacle moment?
This set of miniatures asks the musicians to explore being present with one another. Each miniature invites a different type of interaction — whether passing off a flexible and mellifluous melody seamlessly between one another, locking in with each other in a tight, shimmering holding pattern, or taking turns pushing one another off a musical cliff and then catching each other at the bottom. Each movement opens up a tiny, mutually created universe for just a few precious breaths.
Recording
(see video above)
Audio Guide
(available upon request — please contact us if you are playing this work)
Premiere/Performances
The first set of This Is It was commissioned by the Greenwood Music Camp, as the 2023 Deborah Sherr Commission. It was premiered on July 15, 2023 by Carina Bagdasarian, Coda Scheuer, violins; Eli Mayuma, viola; and Ari Freed, cello at Greenwood Music Camp in Cummington, MA.
The second set of This Is It was commissioned by Spoleto Festival USA, where I was the chamber music Composer-in-Residence in 2024. It was premiered on June 6, 2024 at the Spoleto Music Festival in Charleston, SC by Geneva Lewis, Gabriela Diaz, violins; Ayane Kozasa, viola and Paul Wiancko, cello.
The third set of This Is It is commissioned by Sheffield Chamber Players. It will be premiered in an upcoming season (exact premiere date TBA).
NOTE: This Is It is an ongoing project, and my goal here is to create a series of miniatures that can be excerpted and organized in any way. The quartets who have commissioned these sets purposely have a great degree of variation, from young students to consummate professional chamber musicians. If you are interested in commissioning a future set of This Is It, please contact us.
