Equanimity

The composition, Equanimity (for clarinet and computer), was commissioned by American clarinetist F. Gerard Errante for his CD project Delicate Balance (2012, Aucourant Records, USA). Taking a moonlit night on a beach in Majorca as its inspiration, Equanimity is an attempt to convey a sense of delicate balance between different environmental and sonic factors: a certain stillness in the air; the sound of different nocturnal creatures blending in harmony; the ocean shifting in the darkness. I have tried to exploit the different elements that make up the sound of the clarinet, at the same time relating these to the natural sounds on the recording. A delicate balance is set-up between stillness and movement, knowing and unknowing. Is the listener hearing the sound of the clarinet or cicadas? Do they hear the performer’s breath or the sound of waves gently lapping against the shore? The role of the clarinet in this piece is not that of a soloist with computer accompaniment, nor is it a duet. Instead the clarinet forms just one of several sonic layers. Through the use of live electronic processing, the sound of the clarinet is subtly extended to aid this blending of instrument and nature. The through-composed nature of the piece reflects a gradual unveiling of the natural scene, shifting from the different harmonics contained in the clarinet to the sounds of insects and birds communicating on their own narrow bands of frequencies. PUBLICATIONS: - Mackay, R. 2010. Equanimity, On 'Delicate Balance' (audio CD), Aucourant Records, AUREC 1001 (accessible online at http://www.aucourantrecords.com/catalog.php?op=detail&cid=72)- Mackay, R. 2012. Equanimity: delicate balance in composition (abstract). Proceedings of The Global Composiiton Conference on Sound, Media and the Environment. Dieburg, Germany: Hochschule Darmstadt & Fachbereich Media, 443 (ISBN: 978-3-00-038817-0)- Mackay, R. 2012. Equanimity: programme details. Proceedings of IFIMPaC (Leeds International Festival for Innovations in Production and Composition). Leeds College of Music, 2012.- Mackay, R. 2011. Equanimity: programme details. Proceedings of the Australasian Computer Music Conference. ACMA, 2011. - Mackay, R. 2010. Equanimity: programme details. Proceedings of the International Computer Music Conference 2010. ICMA, 2010.PERFORMANCES:- The Global Composition Conference on Sound Media, and the Environment. Faculty of Media, Hochschule Darmstadt, Germany. 26th July 2012. - IFIMPaC (Leeds International Festival for Innovations in Music Production and Composition), Leeds College of Music. 26th April 2012. (clarinet: Jonathan Sage)- Radio New Zealand Concert, Radio New Zealand, NZ. 22nd July 2011.- Australasian Computer Music Conference, University of Auckland, NZ. 7th July 2011. (clarinet: F.Gerard Errante)- Foldover Radio Show, WOBC 91.5 FM, Ohio, USA, 28th February 2011.- International Computer Music Conference 2010. New York, USA. 2nd June 2012. (clarinet: F.Gerrard Errante