Katachi IV for alto saxophone and live electronics (2012)

Katachi is a Japanese term that means form, shape or figure. In the ancient game of Go, the word Katachi is used to describe the formation of stones on a Go board (Go is originated from Ancient China, where it is known as Weiqi). The conception of stone formation in Go is transformed to apply to the circulation and combination of sounds and timbre in the music.

Katachi IV is written for saxophonist Mark McArthur. It is an experiment on slow migration of timbre and color using a variety of techniques possible with the saxophone. The electronic echo contributes to this complex sonority by prolonging the decay and sustain of the sound. Most sections in this piece use an additive process to saturate the sound spectrum, much like the structure of a Go game, until the very end, where all complex sonorities dissolve into one.

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