Resonance of Red: for Sitar, Tabla and Harpsichord

Resonance of Red refers to the work's inspiration through multifaceted references to both Indian Bangala Bhairava raga and its hint of Chinese culture (the red association)-that underpins my Confucian-inspired living-colour aesthetic. The raga has associations to the sensuous Bangall-a female lutenist-and red similar to the China rose. The music's living colour aesthetic embodies these musical associations: after a sharp start from harpsichord and tabla articulations, living colours emerge in prepared and inside fingered strings on the keyboard instrument, bayan drum hand slides, and subtle pitch vibrato coupled with chikari plus sympatl1etic string resonances on sitar-that evolve into the Bangala Bhairava raga. The resonances of colour are intercut by jazzy interpolations on harpsichord and the remnants of traditional North Indian tabla patterns and vocalize (such as Mohara) that are all swept up into wild extemporization-inspired sitar lines. The form of the work moves from colour resonances to two central improvisatory-like frenetic climaxes-both framed by distilled colour sections-before retuming to the quiet opening red raga resonances.