Funerals
Funerals is a series performative rituals of burying trauma, relationships or anything that needs to be let go of. The funerals can also be used for positive experiences that are coming to an end. All of the funerals involve some element of music; mostly voices and wine glasses, but can be voiced for any instrumental combination. During the ritual, the performer buries what they need to release, and the audience is invited to place their intention on the performative ritual that will be buried along with the performer’s. The aim is to create a cathartic experience for both performer and audience.
LUDO
LUDO is a modular graphic score written for pianist Sid Samberg. The work is designed to be highly variable, using a system of cards, each of which contain imagery and symbols that dictate aspects of the performance. The cards are meant to be played in any order or combination, and can even be turned upside down. The creation of the piece was a symbiotic process between composer and performer, as the score and notation system were designed specifically with Sid’s own compositional language in mind. The title, LUDO, is a latin word meaning “play” or “game”, a reference to the balance between a sense of structure and a place for playful exploration within the work. Because of this balance, even though the cards provide a meticulously designed foundation, they allow for significant freedom in the interpretation of the owrk’s possible pathways.
Although the piece was originally conceptualized for solo piano, it can be interpreted by any instrument and could even be adapted for ensemble playing if desired.
Touch to Begin
Touch to Begin is a touch-based human sound installation created in collaboration between artist, Erin Desmond, and composer, Drew Corey. An audience is invited to touch the exposed body parts of performers lying on tables covered in cloth. Upon contact, each performer lets out unique vocal sounds, ranging from opera, to spoken words, to gasping. The sounds change with pressure and movement and as soon as the viewer breaks contact, the sound stops. The result can range from an intimate experience of quiet sounds to a full vocal ensemble activated by a crowd.
The piece was recorded and documented in June 2015 for the December 2015 publication of “Classical Music for Artists” by Insert Blanc Press. Touch to Begin was also featured in a live setting at UC Riverside’s (dis)junctions Conference in November 2015.
Avant Garde/Experimental Repertoire
The Rope Funeral (2026) – for choir and rope (indeterminate)
The Funeral of Consumption (2025) – for wine glasses and solo performer (indeterminate)
LUDO (2021) – for solo piano (indeterminate)
The Naked Funeral (2019) – for wine glasses, soprano and alto voice (indeterminate)
The Cardinal Funeral (2019) – for bassoon and baritone voice (indeterminate)
The Glass Funeral (2016) – for wine glasses and 2 performers (3:00)
The Funeral of the Absurd (2016) – for people and toast (indeterminate)
Glass (2015) – for wine glasses (3:00)
Touch to Begin (2015) – for performance artists and voice, written in collaboration with Erin Desmond
CONTACT (2014) – participatory performance art installation
The Expedition (2014) – for orchestra and actors, written in collaboration with Julian Karahalios and Martha Dimitratou (40:00)
The Starry Night (2014) – glowing score for solo bassoon (4:13)
Graph-let (2013) – omni directional score for piano
Graph a la Grits (2013) – omni directional score for piano
Just Footsteps (2013) – for footsteps (4:03)
onE (2013) – electroacoustic meditation (3:43)
The Persistence of Memory (2013) – electroacoustic composition for clocks (2:19)
You Can’t Have Math at an Art School (2013) – participatory performance art piece
IN C-LAP (2012) – participatory performance art piece
Chess Process (2010) – process piece derived from chess games (1:29)
Footsteps (2010) – electroacoustic composition for footsteps, speaking and heartbeat (1:40)