Homage a Kazuo Ohno (2010)
ca. 5 min
Commissioned by danz.fest 2010
Premiere
July 24, 2010
Matthew Tommasini, solo piano
danz.fest 2010
Cattolica
ITALY
Program note
Homage a Kazuo Ohno (for solo piano), written in memory of the pioneering Butoh dancer and choreographer, evokes three hallmark elements of the musical accompaniment in his most recognized works: traditional Japanese music, evoked by a plucked and struck melody heard three times throughout the piece; sounds of nature, evoked by running the fingers along strings inside the piano and by clusters struck on the keyboard; and western classical music, represented by chords struck on the upper part of the keyboard which develop into a repeating chordal figure evoking chiming church bells.
The work was commissioned by danz.fest to accompany a dance piece by Tadashi Endo in commemoration of Kazuo Ohno's passing.
Matthew Tommasini (at the piano) during the premiere of Homage a Kazuo Ohno.
Matthew Tommasini (far left) with Tadashi Endo (middle) and his dance students at the premiere of Homage a Kazuo Ohno.
back to compositions list
