Juraj Kojs

To Be Together (2002)

To Be Together (2002) for female voice, clarinet and flute is based on the Pueblo Indians' poetry. Clarinet and flute are disembodied in this piece as only the mouthpiece and barrel are used in the performance. Based on exploring the extended techniques of the instruments, whistling sound and microtonal glissandi are principal sonorities of these parts. The text is viewed and played upon in a variety of playful and less playful ways. Thus, the sounds such as maniacal laughter, orgasmic spasms, and scream may be heard in the voice part.

To Be Together is orchestrated for female voice, clarinet, and flute. In all parts, the three-line notation indicates the registers rather than concrete pitch locations. The bottom line suggests the low, the middle line the middle, and the top line the high register. The score is organized in the following manner: The vertical axis specifies the pitch, and the horizontal axis shows the time.

The piece was completed in Miami in the spring of 2002. It is a portion of a large-scale multimedia composition Letters to Wakantanka, which is based on mystical texts from various religious traditions.

The following Pueblo Indian poem was used in the piece:
“A long time
I have lived with you
And now we must be going
separately
To be together”

The composition was premiered by Pamela Ascroft (voice), Jennifer Miller (flute), and Migueal Garcia (clarinet) at Florida International University on April 16, 2002.

Audio Examples

Example 1 (1.1MB)

Example 2 (1.1MB)

Duartion: 3—4’

Score Examples: