Beneath the Sea of Clouds

Year Composed:	2024
Instrumentation:	solo cello
Duration	6 minutes

Program Notes

In 2024, I drafted a children's novel. In one of its chapters, an island floats upon an ocean composed not of water, but of clouds. The title of this piece was inspired in part by this fantastical image and what it evokes: a concrete, knowable entity, built upon a foundation of mystery.

What lies beneath this 'sea of clouds' is a question that could be posed of anything sufficiently unknowable, whether it be death, the universe, or the recesses of the human mind. This question led me to explore a musical narrative comprised of multiple layers: a somewhat cerebral 'surface' layer comprised of simple, plaintive motives, and a deeper layer brimming with energy,darkness, and wonder.

The solo cello, in effect, becomes the 'island' in this metaphor: concrete and knowable, a single instrument with limited polyphonic capabilities, yet containing a universe of expressive potential, which I have tried to tap into over the course of the piece's relatively brief duration.

Commissions and Awards

• Commissioned by Chris Hwang.