Her Alchemy by John Psathas

Her Alchemy from Koolish Zein (2019) Ionnis (John) Psathas
For solo percussion, percussion quartet, and digital audio for Michael Burritt

Performed by the Eastman Percussion Ensemble
Andrew Bockman
Emma Gierszal
Justin Lamb
YoungKyoung Lee
Michael Burritt - soloist

Video/Audio: HumLux Media
https://www.humlux.co/
  / humluxmedia  

Program Note:
“Mu zein!” The Preacher said, waving his right hand in a cutting gesture.
"This is no good!"
“Koolish Zein,” Leto said, voice soft.
"This is all the good we may ever have."
from Frank Herbert’s Dune series

Koolish Zein is an orchestra-less concerto. In place of the symphony orchestra is a percussion quartet and a track of richly layered audio. The soloist is the storyteller from start to finish, navigating an ever-changing terrain of dynamic textures and grooves.
The three parts of Koolish Zein each look to evoke resonances of an imagined future. The first movement, Her Alchemy, emerges from women’s voices transformed digitally within the software Alchemy.

Koolish Zein was commissioned by:
Michael Burritt – Eastman School of Music (lead commissioner)
James Campbell – University of Kentucky
Omar Carmenates – Furman University
Scott Herring – University of South Carolina
Thad Anderson – University of Central Florida
Eric Willie – University of North Carolina Greensboro
Andrew Bliss – University of Tennessee