Arroios (2023)
for drum set and electronics; 15 minutes
Sophia Bennett Holmes, Cinematography
Joseph O. Holmes, Camera operator
Brooklyn, New York
I was exploring richly resonant sounds for solo performers, in this case, by using electronics to extend the color, timbre, and space. Arroios, for drum set and electronics, is one of the three site-specific pieces I composed for my recital at Columbia University. It was composed in April, 2023. The piece is 14'50" in duration, and requires a live drum set performance and a fixed stereo electronic track. The drum set part involves improvisation. The electronic track was produced with sampling and processing. Most of the samples were recorded and played by Julian Bennett Holmes, who premiered the piece on May 16th, 2023.
I traveled to Lisbon, and stayed in a neighborhood called Arroios, which became the title of the piece. In the electronic part, I used a sample that I recorded in a church in Lisbon. In the church, people were praying, and the Portuguese prayer “melody” amazed me. It is the only sample in the piece that comes from my casual life. The piece requests the player to improvise based on the indications in the score.
Score