Objects in the Mirror (2021)
for Soprano Saxophone and Piano
The piece is a metaphor drawn from several of my inspirations and influences as an individual. These influences include music that I listen to, performances that I have done, people that I have encountered, people that I look up to, or even mundane experiences that contributed much to the construction of my identity. My musical influences include indigenous music traditions, jazz, pop, and classical music, and my overall construct of piece is somehow an amalgamation of these influences.
The rhythm and the melodic permutations are inspired by the gong tradition among the Muslim groups from southern Philippines. The rhythmic mode called “tidtu”, one of the four rhythmic modes of gong playing, evokes excitement and is suited to musical jousts, exhibiting the players’ virtuosity.