Painting of Japan (2016)
Instrumentation: Harp, violin.
Description: This piece was inspired by my recent and growing love of Japan, and my desire to start exploring what I could do with things like the pentatonic scale, more than what I had done in one section of Birds of Prey. In this piece’s 8 movements, a little snapshot of Japan is revealed. Each one has different challenges that can show off techniques of the different instruments, and some have different styles – some are more melodic while others are less so. The score-video performance below shows six of the movements:
I. Mt. Fuji
II. Cherry Blossom Festival
III. Shinto Shrine
IV. The Koto
VII. Interlude
VIII. Bullet Train to Tokyo
Big thanks to harpist Caitlin Thom for performing with me in this recording for a fall recital on 18 October 2016.