three three two is a play on the phrase itself; for example, the first and second movements are in ternary form, while the third and final movement is in binary form. throughout the piece, and especially in the first movement, san/san/er, the three three-two ostinato is a significant motif. 3'32", the pointillistic second movement, aims to last that exact duration. lastly, TWO!!! ...and one is a celebratory final movement that uses the ideas of movements one and two, using the first half of the three-three-two rhythm and having the duration stated in the title.

This summer, at Boston University’s Tanglewood Institute summer camp, our composing program was given a week to write for orchestra. During this week I found inspiration from multiple aspects — I knew that I was writing for a talented high school orchestra, so I chose to limit any extended techniques. I also took motivic ideas from electronic and film music. The concept of this piece was that I wanted to depict a scene in which a drone camera swoops down to reveal a bustling, underground cyberpunk city. Hence the piece title “Into The Depths”. The first section is free and cinematic, with emphasis on the woodwinds. The strings provide support to blend orchestrally. As the piece progresses, one can imagine the feeling of being unfettered and at liberty, quite literally above the city below them — almost, as if, the listener is a bird, or, with context in mind, maybe a flying car or even a low-altitude spaceship. Then, the viewpoint drops; a cinematographic swoop… and the listener is in a whole different soundworld. The low strings, winds, and some of the brass players contribute to an electronic pulsation that drives the second section, and the horns and trumpets play a dark, even gritty leitmotif. Slowly, this pulsating section grows. It loses then regains its percussive drive while the sound becomes increasingly cinematic, with the orchestra becoming more united in playing the key leitmotifs — the listener imagines the rising in the levels of the cyberpunk city, from the fragmented and desperate scavengers to the professional but cruel corporate elite, until… The listener is back at the top, escaping from the dystopia that is a cyberpunk world, free again.

(re)birth explores the cycle of birth, life, death, and rebirth. It signifies this cycle through the deliberate placement of ideas from the harmonic series; these ideas both begin and end certain passages, as well as the piece itself. As (re)birth weaves between mechanical and organic structures, it demonstrates that the events between periods of growth and subsequent decline are complex. Similarly, the piece shifts suddenly from open and lyrical to ambient and discreet, ultimately building to a powerful climax. After all, to be reborn is to change significantly.

What are memories? Whether vivid or opaque, gripping or distant, our memories emerge as fragmented constellations of our lived experiences. When we encounter a sight or sound that feels vaguely familiar, we are likely sensing the resonating echo from an obscure memory just beyond our conscious reach. To some extent, our memories are the judgment we pass in relation to our past encounters and choices—or at least our perception of what we experienced and decided. While many neuroscientists and psychologists have devoted considerable scientific attention to memory, I have decided to explore this fascinating topic through a musical lens. Therefore, a majority of “Memories” consists of sound fragments—short or long, played once or repeated, a quick series of notes or one resonating sound, part of a chord or standing alone—a fluctuating structure that reflects the indeterminate nature of memories. Consequently, “Memories” is notated proportionally, not conforming to a certain length or duration. Some parts are left to the performer’s interpretation, with each musician potentially perceiving the same material differently. This is because our memories are subjective recollections of events that have perhaps been altered by our personal point-of-views, biases, or selective (in)attention—with the meaning and significance of the experience completely up to the beholder.

the word "meltdown" has multiple unique meanings in different contexts. this piece explores one such meaning — that of an environmental meltdown. images of an arctic scene slowly, then explosively progress into crashing icebergs and the cutting of trees as the piece progresses. mixed feelings ranging from ambient neutrality to spiraling confusion are all evoked, symbolizing humanity's dangerously comforting dilemma.

Mvt. I: Conflict symbolizes the violence of warfare. Although primarily chaotic and dissonant, the melody emerges from a systematic structural foundation: the repetition of similar or identical motives functions much like the perpetual attacking and defending of key strongholds. In such areas, listeners may discover the deliberate placement of what I would call “inverse chords,” chords with the same complexity, but opposite feelings (augmented and diminished, for example), which relates to the strategic positioning and movement of troops in battle. Mvt. II: Desolation introduces the audience to the direct aftermath of the war. Following the ceasefire, the survivors naturally sigh with relief, but they soon must confront the harsh realities: their comrades are dead, and what may have become routine—gunshots, explosions, and the like—has been replaced by dead silence, punctuated by occasional bouts of shellshock. The second movement mirrors this experience, with slow chords interrupted by fragments of sound: the relief mingled with the haunting memories of the past. Yet, to reflect the survivors’ attempts to cope, the second movement interjects a more hopeful interlude. However, the question remains: will they really be able to move on? This movement is longer than the first to signify how the effects of the survivors’ trauma outlast any battle. Mvt. III: Death finds inspiration in the kiss of death present in Heinz Weinbeck’s “Now and in the hour of death.” Like a bell, the tritone of the piano rings forth to announce the movement’s beginning, abruptly transitioning to an ear-piercing strings motif, before flowing eerily back to the piano again. The strings’ chord increases in complexity, but remains creepily dissonant, reflecting the ever-growing number of funerals for the soldiers lost in battle while the ghastly messenger continues adding to the death toll. This is the longest movement, as the mourning of the dead will linger on for at least a generation.

Quest is a suite of piano solos. It includes three pieces, Empty Room, Hasty Escape and Unknown Obstacle. Being isolated in an empty white room, being deprived of all senses, gives you a feeling Empty Room might. It’s a humbling feeling. Hasty Escape was inspired by Flight of the Bumblebees, a really fast structure-based piece. Hasty Escape is in sixteenth notes and its structure is angled downwards, giving one a visual of people escaping from an area. I got the idea of writing Unknown Obstacle from all the cinematic instrumental songs I listen to. The crescendos and large chords, as well as the fast rhythm puts people in a suspenseful monster movie.