Symmetrical Sigils
for vibraphone, viola, and piano

Work no. 93
2016

These tiny ensemble pieces are templates for improvisation. They are formed the same way letters are formed in an alphabet: straight lines and curves forming shapes through circumstance, chance, and only occasionally symbolic; like many letters in many alphabets these sigils are symmetrical in some way, and some of them borrow elements of design from others. Performers should try to interpret these pieces in the same way calligraphy interprets letters. Fragments of melody could become connected as if they were originally different strokes, but now drawn without lifting the brush. A small line could gain a large decorative flourish, larger than the letter itself. Elements of a whole may be fused together, stretched, one overwritten by another, as in graffiti.

Since none of the sigils are meant to be performed as written, the recordings above are only provided for reference. The composition of this piece was influenced by a very different work exploring the alphabet – Letter Variations for solo piano.