debmin – Page 4 – Elizabeth Knudson

A Cellist on the Skytrain

“A Cellist on the Skytrain” was composed in 2004, while I was an undergraduate student at Simon Fraser University. Being a music student, and a cellist, I would often have to lug my cello to school (on the SFU campus at Burnaby Mountain), a journey which involved two bus connections and a skytrain. I have always been fascinated with the musicality of Vancouver’s skytrains — the audible glissandi, the harmonic overtones, and the rhythmic motion of the trains were all things I could relate to as a string player. The piece is simply a field recording taken of one such journey to school, with a superimposed cello counterpoint.

Performed in many locations, including at the Sonic Boom Festival, at the Western Front, Vancouver, 16 March, 2006.

[audio:../wp-content/uploads/acellistontheskytrain.mp3|titles=A Cellist on the Skytrain]

A Light exists in Spring

This piece takes its text from a poem of the same name by 19th century American poet, Emily Dickinson. It draws upon the ideas of prismic light and colour– light waves, as well as the idea of sound waves, in the form of bell-sounds created by the human voice.

“At a suitable distance, church bells could be powerfully evocative, for the strident noises of their clappers are lost and they are given a legato phrasing which wind currents or water will modulate dynamically… Perhaps no sound benefits more from distance and atmosphere.” -Canadian composer R. Murray Schafer, from his book, The Soundscape: Our Sonic Environment and the Tuning of the World (1977).

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“A Light exists in Spring
Not present on the Year
At any other period–
When March is scarcely here

A Color stands abroad
On Solitary Fields
That Science cannot overtake
But Human Nature feels.

It waits upon the Lawn,
It shows the furthest Tree
Upon the furthest Slope you know
It almost speaks to you.

Then as Horizons step
Or Noons report away
Without the formula of sound
It passes and we stay–“

Emily Dickinson (1830-1886)

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Premiered by Phoenix Chamber Choir (directed by Ramona Luengen), at Queens Avenue United Church, New Westminster, B.C., Canada, on April 16, 2005.

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Sheet music is available through the Canadian Music Centre.

They Took Flight

They Took Flight was inspired by the 100-year anniversary of Orville and Wilbur Wright’s first successful flight. These pioneers of aviation first got their airplane off the ground in Kitty Hawk, North Carolina on December 17th, 1903. Although that first historic flight lasted for only 12 seconds, this piece captures the essence of that moment after leaving the ground — the freedom and sense of wonder at being propelled up into the skies.

Performed by the Drosera Ensemble at Open Space Gallery, Victoria, 6 March, 2004
Performed by Turning Point Ensemble at Sonic Boom Festival, Western Front, Vancouver, 11 March 2005
Broadcast on CBC Radio 2- Westcoast Performance Vancouver

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Sheet music is available through the Canadian Music Centre.

Garden Gnomes / Metro Gnomes

two pieces for four celli

Commissioned by Ian Hampton for the Langley Community Music School; workshopped at the Langley Community Music School, May 2004.
Premiered at the University of British Columbia Recital Hall, 22 November, 2004.

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Sheet music is available through the Canadian Music Centre.