Duets for Cello and Piano is a series in which simplicity in notes and structure creates space for a focus on expression. The pieces are specifically intended as exercises to musically express the narratives suggested by their titles.

Through the inspiring collaboration with cellist Noelia Diaz, the ideas from my earlier Episodes series were further developed. Here is an example of a note I wrote while working on these duets:

“I attribute human characteristics to plants, animals, minerals, and the elements — such as weather, tides, and seasons. This naturally applies in the other direction as well. I do not mean that everything in the world is animated in the traditional sense, but rather that what some might call animism is actually a process of continuous exchange of information among entities, their ‘sub-parts,’ and their ‘super-parts.’ When people communicate with each other, their cells, organs, and processes such as circulation, metabolism, and energy management are also communicating at the same moment — as are their supra-entities: their communities, families, cultures, and so on. These connections occur not only among humans but also among all species, things, and processes.”