Rabbit hole for large ensemble - Young-Jun Lee
Performed in Joe Byrd Hall, Peabody Institute
Performed on April 23rd, 2023(World Premiere)
Young-Jun Lee, copyright © 2023, All rights reserved
Composer : Young-Jun Lee
Performed by Old Bay New Music Ensemble
Cover Illustration : Donghee Lim
Dedication : Carlos Sanchez-Gutierrez
Duration : 7 minutes
Conductor : Juliano Aniceto
Flute : Lily Xie
Oboe : Hailey Unger
Clarinet : Dylan Rosenthal
Saxophone : Nikolai Klotchkov
Trumpet : Dillon Parker
Bass trombone : Dylan Heid
Percussion : Matt Boyle / Johnny Barker
Harp : Sebastian Gobbels
Piano : Sean McLaughlin
Violin : Heeyun Cho
Viola : Margaret Klucznik / Nikki Ponticelli
Cello : Jihyeuk Choi
Bass : Owen Boyd
Composition Note
Down the rabbit hole is the first scene from Alice in Wonderland. I was really inspired by not only the literature of Lewis Carroll but also by artworks, fashion, fine-dining, opera or motion picture that are inspired by it. Composition is divided into two part. The first half and the second half are drastically different in terms of timbre, register, regularity, gestures, harmonies and aesthetics. As a composer, I wanted to mix and blend the sound from both realm in my own language. So that I wanted to question the binary world that divides into two:
* Reality vs Imagination / Realism vs Surrealism / Regularity vs Irregularity / High vs Low and so forth.
I sketched the formal structure first, and started narrowing down one by one.
It started from the highest register with very fragile sonic fabrication that eventually morphs into the deep and lowest but very devouring textures. Rabbit hole, in the mean time, also has a double meaning. It also means a complexly bizarre or difficult state or situation conceived of as a hole into which one falls or descends. So I wanted to express that by showing the strong pitch centricity to C that you will lose when you are actually going down the hole when towards the ending which you will sense by those descending gestures.
Finally, I would love to express my deepest gratitude to Dr.Felipe Lara who supported me with not only compositional knowledge but also his office so that I could focus on composing.
Also, I feel grateful for Maestro Juliano Ancieto and members of Old Bay New Music Ensemble for this amazing opportunities.
