Star Mango
clarinet in b-flat, bassoon, trombone, violin, cello, balloons, and electronics2016 (rev. 2022)
Imagine waking up one day in an alien landscape where nothing is familiar. How would you react to the unusual sounds in your new environment? Would you attempt to group the sounds along familiar categories to better understand their sources?
Star Mango, for clarinet, bassoon, trombone, violin, cello, balloons, and electronics, was inspired by this concept of ecological listening. I attempt to explore the boundaries of recognizability through layers of ambiguity and familiarity.
The term “Star Mango” was invented by my five-year old niece Gabriela. The first time she ever saw a star-fruit she got very confused and excited, and confidently called it a Star Mango. She combined two familiar concepts to understand something that, to her, was completely novel and unfamiliar.
Score and electronics are available here.
The video below is a performance by OSSIA New Music.