Instrumentation: soprano voice, double bass

Duration: 9 minutes

Year composed: 2020

First performance: Ligament, Kansas City Contemporary Music festival, MO, USA June 25th 2021

Other performances: Ligament, The Englert Theatre, Iowa City, IA, USA, online, September 1st 2021

-Ligament, House Concert @ Calbox, Baltimore, MD, USA, November 3rd 2021

-Ligament, Scholes St Studio, Brooklyn, NY, USA, May 6th 2022

-Ligament, First Baptist Church in the City of Washington DC, Washington DC, DC, USA, May 25th 2022

-Ligament, Rhizome, Washington DC, DC, USA, July 18th 2022

-Ligament, New Music DC, The University of Maryland, School of Music Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center, MD, USA, October 15th 2022

-Ligament, Vox Populi, Philadelphia, PA, USA, January 11th 2023

-Ligament, Rhizome, Washington, DC, USA, January 12th 2023

-Ligament, 2640 Space, Baltimore, MD, USA, January 15th 2023

-Ligament, University of Idaho, Moscow, ID, USA, January 20th 2023

-Ligament, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA, March 9th 2023

-Ligament, Andre Clearfield’s Szalon, Philadelphia, PA, USA, October 27th 2024

-Will Yager (Bass), Mary Bradley Knighton (soprano) International Society of Bassists Convention, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL, USA, June 7th 2025

Program note: Yūrei is a generic term in Japanese folklore analogous to the Western term ‘ghost’. There are many different kinds of Yurei in Japanese myths, from roaming ghosts to vengeful spirits. The inspiration for this piece draws on these different types of spectres. Their personalities are manifested in varied and contrasting sound elements, from a faint breathing sound to a distorted and agressive one. The unique combination of soprano voice and double bass unfurls a wide sound universe, transforming the duo from a combined entity to two diverse personalities over the course of the piece.

The piece is warmly dedicated to Will and Anika from the Ligament duo.

Score: https://www.artchipel.net/en/produit/yurei-%e5%b9%bd%e9%9c%8a/