Okura

for SATB chamber choir (with hand percussion) and string quartet

text:  Yamanoue no Okura (660-733)

duration:  7.5 minutes

premiered by the University of Texas New Music Ensemble, Brent Baldwin, Conductor on May 2nd, 2000 in Austin, Texas

With Okura, I wanted to combine the cerebral ethereality of the text with driving rhythms in an almost jazz-choir like setting. Okura is a virtuosic and nimble piece for a very small choir of voices (only 1-4 voices per part) which contains virtuoso interludes for string quartet. The two choirs come together at the end of the piece in a soaring celebration of life.

AUDIO: Okura (excerpt)