Sikuigvik

for piano and large ensemble (1998)
(flute/piccolo, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, horn, 2 violin, viola, cello, bass)
commissioned by Musik i Nordland, Norway
duration is c. 19′

Sikuigvik (the time of ice melting) was commissioned by Musik i Nordland for the ILIOS Festival in Norway. The work is dedicated to Torleif Torgersen and the MiN Ensemble who gave the premiere performance in 1998. Sikuigvik explores musical formal processes generated from the natural environment of Alaska. The musical form is derived directly from mapping ice melting into harmonic and melodic processes. For people of the north, the time of ice melting (we call it “breakup”) is an occasion of celebration. As a result of global warming over the past decades, ice melt has become a serious problem and a politically volatile issue of our time. The music looks at both aspects of the subject, exploring the nostalgic, violent and whimsical characterization of ice melt.

score excerpt