West

“West” is an exploration of the role of timbre and rhythm in the indigenous music of several cultures around the world, linking it to the rhythmic and timbral idioms of early 21st century art music. I see the West as the great confluence of world cultures – a meeting point of European and African cultures from the east, Asian cultures immigrating (confusingly) from the west, among the rich cultural traditions of the indigenous peoples that continue to flourish here today. Further, the landscapes of the west contain a power all their own that permeates and vibrates among those who live here today. – Joseph Harchanko