Senza

Senza was an exploration for me in composing without melody or the confines of a notational program. The piece was entirely handwritten and timbrally focused. I was fascinated with how the timbre and tuning of a single note can change depending upon the string on which it is played. To highlight this phenomenon, the same note is repeated throughout the entirety of Senza. I augmented this idea by using quarter tones and timbral techniques to further contrast two notes that, on paper, look the exact same. As the piece continues, the repeated note moves down the strings of the cello (A,D,G, C) ending with a strong, accented C. Each letter in the score marks the beginning of a new string, using words that are typically associated with the timbre of each individual string to inform the section. I was fortunate to work with Eduard Tergulov throughout the process of writing this piece and am grateful to him for all of his input, skill, and help.