The ninth wave : for chamber orchestra and electronics

"The Ninth Wave" is a work for chamber orchestra, fixed electronics, and live-processed brass. The piece was inspired by the work of Chinese “explosion” artist, Cai Guo-Qiang. In his art, Cai often tackles environmental issues in very provocative ways. Given the current ecological disputes plaguing our world and our political landscape, I wanted to compose a work reacting to these issues in a striking way. In this piece, the brass is staged antiphonally above the orchestra, placing them in a position of power; they, combined with machine-like electronics, represent mankind’s intrusion into the natural world. The strings and woodwinds represent nature. As with Cai Guo-Qiang’s art exhibition by the same name, "The Ninth Wave" aims to draw greater attention toward our destruction of the planet through a compelling drama.