Programme notes

The title of this composition refers to the Hindu goddess of knowledge, music, and art, among other domains. I chose an Indian deity for this composition to conceptually link to the music of the Flemish composer, Wim Henderickx (1962-2022), who was profoundly inspired by Indian music. Henderickx was one of my mentors, and I have extensively researched his music for my doctoral thesis. Following the unexpected passing of Henderickx in December 2022, many tribute concerts have been performed by his friends, colleagues, and students. To celebrate Henderickx’s life as a composer and composition teacher, I decided to compose a piece of music for solo unpitched percussion instruments. I specifically chose unpitched percussion instruments to challenge myself to create melodic material from these unpitched instruments, a concept explored in my own research on musical forces and how rhythm, meter, agogics, and accents influence listeners’ perception of stability and movement in music. I sketched extensively to explore various permutations and possibilities, examining how movement can be facilitated by small pattern changes, accent displacements, and higher/lower sounding percussive sounds. Saraswati was composed for Gert François in memory of Wim Henderickx.

Composer's statement

The title of this composition refers to the Hindu goddess of knowledge, music, and art, among other domains. This goddess is typically depicted with four arms, playing the veena, a traditional Indian musical instrument. She is particularly associated with a love for the rhythm of music (anurāga). These four arms symbolically mirror the four heads of her husband, Brahma, each representing the mind (manas), intellect (buddhi), creativity (citta), and ego (ahaṁkāra). I chose an Indian deity for this composition to conceptually link to the music of the Flemish composer, Wim Henderickx (1962-2022), who was profoundly inspired by Indian music. Henderickx was one of my mentors, and I have extensively researched his music for my doctoral thesis. He significantly influenced my compositional processes and conducted a performance of one of my compositions by the Antwerp Symphony Orchestra in 2017, following the SoundMine composition retreat in Neerpelt, Belgium, in 2016.

My research on Henderickx’s music focused on his three Ragas in their various versions and how the operation of musical forces differs in each. Raga I was originally composed for percussion and two pianos, with versions for percussion and orchestra, percussion and wind band, and percussion solo. Henderickx employed a wide array of conventional and unconventional pitched and unpitched percussion instruments in this virtuosic work. The percussion soloist who premiered and widely performed these compositions is Gert François, whom I came to know well through my studies on Henderickx’s music.

Following the unexpected passing of Henderickx in December 2022, many tribute concerts have been performed by his friends, colleagues, and students. In 2023, I was invited by the Royal Conservatory of Antwerp to present a guest lecture in memory of Henderickx, focusing on his Raga I. This lecture was attended by François, among others, and after the lecture, we discussed the possibilities of composing a solo percussion work for François in memory of Henderickx.

To celebrate Henderickx’s life as a composer and composition teacher, I decided to link my work to Indian music, collaborate with a performer who had worked closely with Henderickx, and select instruments used in two of his major percussion works, namely Raga I and Groove! I specifically chose unpitched percussion instruments to challenge myself to create melodic material from these unpitched instruments, a concept explored in my own research on musical forces and how rhythm, meter, agogics, and accents influence listeners’ perception of stability and movement in music. I sketched extensively to explore various permutations and possibilities, examining how movement can be facilitated by small pattern changes, accent displacements, and higher/lower sounding percussive sounds. The instruments used in this composition are: gong, waterphone, djembe drum, daf, octobans, bass drum, bongos, quinto, cymbal, temple blocks, timbales, tomtoms, rototoms, and the African slit drum.

I view this work as a 'musical puzzle' where small, similar-looking pieces fit together to create a cohesive whole. Parts phase in and out, creating a sense of stability and instability throughout, guiding the listener through a sonic journey. Although I was inspired by Indian tālas, my aim was not to recreate Indian music but to use it as inspiration for my own composition. Saraswati was composed for Gert François in memory of Wim Henderickx.