MAX ZT
Please find assets related to my application to Princeton’s PhD Music Composition Program. In addition to my audio samples, I am also including my Resume/CV, as well as sample diagrams for how the hammered dulcimer is arranged.
Though not common within the hammered dulcimer community, I believe it is best to perceive the instrument as starting from E Major, and ascending through the circle of 4ths. The placement of each scale's inversions can inform melody, improvisation, harmony, sticking, and composition in general. Having a fluency in this language has been a key tool in my artistic and creative development.
You will also notice that the shapes on the diagrams are only representing simple arpeggios. Once adding in other intervals, the patterns, shapes, sticking, and general visualization will, of course, change. The poetry in the design is mesmerizing. Developing a simple and accurate system of transcription incorporating the nuances of this hammered dulcimer will be a major focus of my time at Princeton.
AVALOCH
Composed at the Avaloch Farm Music Institute in Boscowan, NH, Avaloch reflects the practical application of techniques meticulously cultivated in Senegal. It intertwines rhythmic and melodic ambidextrous independence
with a nuanced understanding of the dulcimer’s chord inversions and geographic positions. Avaloch stands as a testament to the seamless integration of these musical elements, exemplifying a fluency in navigating technique with composition.
Dedicated to the memory of my esteemed friend, the late film director
Prashant Bhargava, Kites, embodies the essence of wind, loss, and
liberation. Rooted in F Lydian, and later conversing in a parallel
KITES
melody/response in a mirrored geographic region of the instrument, namely G Lydian, Kites employs rhythmicsubdivisions as a transitional device between various time signatures and scales. This piece, like Avaloch, underscores a commitment to musical fluency, demonstrating an adept navigation of technique within the realm of composition.
DAYBREAK
In 2022, I released my debut solo album Daybreak (Six Degrees Records). Recorded during the peak of the pandemic, this fully improvised album was recorded in a single take on a single microphone and is meant to be equal parts music and medicine. Utilizing silence and patience as tools for introspection within my improvisation, I attempted to create a listening
experience that would engage without distracting from the moment. Deeply rooted in the philosophical aspects of my studies with Pandit Shivkumar Sharma, Daybreak attempts to embody his "practice of presentness." This technique has not only redefined my approach to improvisation, composition, group sound, and timbre, but has also influenced my broader perspective on life. Musically, it has given me the ability to think outside of myself, to remain curious, to listen without judgement, and to be a better collaborator. As a composer, this awareness has freed me from a reliance on habit and encouraged creativity in my compositional choices.
If you have more time, I have included two additional pieces:
STILL
Dedicated to my teacher, the late great santoor maestro - Pandit Shivkumar Sharma - Still is centered around the Indian Classical Raga Mishra Kirwani.
Utilizing the #4 interval as a dissonant note within the initial D harmonic minor scale, and then as a transitionary tool to the piece’s new tonal center, Still is meant to evoke the patience, reflection, and introspection of Panditji’s teachings, while using the play on words to contend that his teachings, spirit, and music still remain.
17
Exploring different ways on feeling 17/8, and focusing on ensemble
interplay, 17 is a great example of the utilization of odd-meter rhythms. During my study with Pandit Shivkumar Sharma, I became obsessed with
the effects of odd-meter rhythms, especially when cadence, anticipation,
and syncopation were present. With 17, we also extend these metric
modulations to the placement of our chord changes resulting in a dizzying display of virtuosity.
