KATI AGÓCS

TRANSLUMINESCENCE CONCERTO FOR PIANO (2022) – WORLD PREMIERE

My piano concerto was written in memory of one of my oldest friends, Bruce McKinnon. The word Transluminescence means “that which allows light to shine through.” The concerto is structured in three movements that flow together without pause, creating an immersive form about twenty minutes in duration. Cyclic in nature, the opening chord progression is picked up and varied throughout all three movements:

The first movement is ceremonial, with a dialogue between soloist and orchestra that intensifies as it unfolds; the second movement is meditative, reaching into pellucid and fragile areas of both vulnerability and strength; and the third movement is a perpetual motion refrain which builds to an apotheosis. The piece ends with the pianist playing a transfigured version of the opening chords, with the soloist deciding when (and how) the piece should end.

Transluminescence was commissioned by the Esther Honens Piano Competition for the 2018 Honens Prize Laureate, Nicolas Namoradze.

— KATI AGÓCS

KINAN AZMEH SUITE FOR IMPROVISOR AND ORCHESTRA (2007)

I have always loved to compose, always loved to play as soloist with orchestra and I have always loved to improvise, so I decided to write a piece that would allow me to do it all at once!

The three movements: “Love on 139th Street in D”, “November 22nd” and “Wedding” were originally written in 2005 for my project, Hewar, an ensemble made of clarinet, oud and voice, and what began simply as three lead-sheets ended up becoming a full orchestral work and my most performed work. The suite tries to blur the lines between the composed and the improvised, which comes from my belief that some of the best written music is one that sounds spontaneous and improvised, and some of the best improvisations are the ones that sound structured as if composed. This work is meant to both turn an orchestra into a band and to give a great room for the soloist to become a composer on the spot and to play freely within the larger structure of the work.

“Love on 139th Street in D” is inspired by New York City’s neighborhood of Harlem where I lived for few years, a simple homage to its cultural mix and a dedication to my downstairs neighbor who blasted reggaetone all day long!

“November 22nd” is a meditative work that tries to depict that ambiguous feeling one encounters by feeling at home somewhere far from one’s original home. I wrote this piece in the US inspired by the sonic memory of a marketplace that used to exist behind my parents’ apartment back in Damascus, it seemed to have a slow and steady pulse to it similar to the rhythm of life which keeps moving regardless of our emotions about it.

“Wedding” is made of two contrasting sections, a relatively calm one followed by a fast and energetic dance. It tries to capture the general mood found in a Syrian village wedding party usually held in the public square for everyone to attend. These parties are always exciting and never predictable.

— KINAN AZMEH