Mizaru, Kikazaru, Iwazaru

for flute, oboe, clarinet, horn, and bassoon

Duration: app. 9 min.

Program Notes:

Mizaru, Kikazaru, Iwazaru is a collaboration between composer Ryan Jesperson and choreographer Layton Peterson.  The project originated at the Hartt School in the fall of 2005 and was premiered and performed three times over a weekend in April, 2006.

“Mizaru, Kikazaru, Iwazaru” is the Japanese translation of the phrase, “See no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil.”  The idea of the piece originates with the choreographer, who found the idea of representing the maxim in relation to dance an interesting starting point for the project.  In the music, this idea is represented in three distinct motives that appear throughout the music.  The first is the fast staccato passage that appears in all the instruments, the second is the dotted rhythm that appears most often in the horn, and the third is the pentatonic flute melody that pervades throughout.  To which of the saying each represents is left to the listener, as is the relationship between the dancing and the music.

This piece was premiered at the University of Hartford in April of 2006 by the Hartt Contemporary players.