5 for 40

Quintet for custom instruments built from wooden organ pipes
2021

November 7 at 1pm! Bring a blanket, a picnic, a loved one for the world premiere of my new piece, 5 for 40, presented by Synchromy!

Serene and poignant, 5 for 40 creates a soundscape for our disquieted times using repurposed organ pipes. From a church decades-since demolished, these pipes have been retrofitted to be human-powered, changing the nature and source of their sound. Synchromy has set 5 for 40 amongst the Tabebuia Trees of a quiet terraced garden.

I wrote the score for 5 for 40 in August of 2020. The skies of LA were a thick grey from the nearby Bobcat Fire, and the air was smokey. Whole charred leaves from the San Gabriel Mountains drifted into our backyard and, combined with half a year of pandemic isolation, made the world seem particularly apocalyptic. 5 for 40 was my response to that time, along with my continued interest in presenting music outdoors. The stillness of the piece hopefully offers an invitation to be present outside and just listen – to sounds both intentional and unintentional.

Note: 6-inch Sandwiches from the Eastside Italian Deli are available for pre-order, and must be ordered a week before the event. They will be distributed to you at the park when you arrive.