The solo works 'medi+aTion' and 'b(locked.orders)' use neologisms with special symbols, giving their titles multiple meanings.
Recording & Production
The album was supported by grants from the National Arts Council (Singapore), the Willson Center for Humanities and Arts (University of Georgia), and MacDowell.
Composer's Artistic Vision
The central works on the album, three saxophone quartets, draw inspiration from compound words formed with the '-onym' suffix, such as 'homonym,' 'heteronym,' and 'cryptonym.'
Compositional Technique
The piece 'b(locked.orders)' sonifies the stifled voices of immigrants and silenced minorities.
Composer's Artistic Vision
The album '[word]plays' features microtonal works for saxophone(s) inspired by a literary technique where witty word-use is central to the work.
Recording & Production
The album art and design for '[word]plays' were created by Michiko Saiki, who also contributed video art for one of the pieces.
