still life at a purple window (2021) for two shakuhachi and two violins

During the summer of 2022, I encountered the paintings of Ryōhei Kosei (小磯良平) in Kobe, Japan. I was struck particularly by the detail in his portraiture and still life paintings. In one work, Portrait of Miss T. a seated woman stares at something that looks like it's behind my right shoulder. While looking at the painting I asked myself what is this woman thinking? As she was seated next to the window, I couldn't help but try to image the room she was in.

This work tries to capture the thoughts inside the body of someone seated for a portrait. While a person might be "sitting still" to be painted or photographed, the person's internal organs and fluids are continuing to move. My piece tries to create the sensation of these moving, living, breathing internal things.

still life at a window is written for and dedicated to Stringnoise Duo and Adam Robinson. We premiered this work on Sept 22, 2022 at a house concert in Brooklyn NYC.

still life at a purple window is approximately 12-18 minutes depending on the number of repeats taken.

for information on purchasing the score, please contact me