“Crystallization”: A wintery piano solo, written during the 2020 holiday season, and performed by Lydia Wu. Lush electroacoustic soundscape added to accompany this piano solo in fall of 2021.

“MMXX”: Forged in the frustration, loneliness, and – ultimately – the processes of self-discovery during the 2020 pandemic, this dramatic violin solo is an expression of the complex, turbulent feelings that have arisen throughout the world.

“Wabi-Sabi”: The aesthetic and metaphysical ideals that Japanese wabi-sabi encapsulates include simplicity, naturalness, and an acceptance of reality. This musical work seeks to illustrate the overall nature of wabi-sabi. At both the beginning of movement 1 and the ending of movement 3, notes are thought of as specks of Potentiality that are randomly evolving from or devolving to Nothingness. Movement 2, at the center point of this universal journey, expresses a concerted effort of diverse elements to create structure and meaning.

Ideally, every single performance (formal or informal) should be different from the last and contain various elements of surprise to even the performers. It is the composer’s hope that musicians will enjoy the challenge, the individual freedom, and unexpected moments ready to be discovered again and again in “Wabi-Sabi, for string quartet”.