For four-hand piano, electronics, and video
Commissioned by the HOCKET duo for their project Photoplay Music: New Works for the Silent Film Era, presented by Piano Spheres in Los Angeles, this work serves as a reimagined soundtrack for Man Ray’s 1928 film L’Étoile de Mer. Similar to the film, the score embraces Dadaist principles, specifically the use of absurdity, collage, and “ready-made” objects. The absurd is realized through the juxtaposition of Afro-Colombian cumbia with Dadaist cinema, two worlds that otherwise would not meet. The collage element is reflected in my eclectic aesthetic that, among others, draws from post-tonal harmonies, extended piano techniques, and improvisatory passages to mirror the film’s abstract narrative. Finally, the use of ready-made materials is explored through samples of the album Amistad by Colombian American group Wache. Here, I am recontextualizing the sound of the gaitas y tambores tradition within an entirely new sonic landscape. Through this intersection of folklore and experimentation, the work challenges historical and geographic boundaries to create a modern, multidisciplinary, and at times absurdist dialogue.
Hocket Duo during the premiere of the piece in LA, 2025
Full realization of the movie with the album version of the piece
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