Chladni Figures

Program Notes

Chladni Figures takes its title from a physical phenomenon where resonance becomes visible. When a rigid surface, such as a metal plate, is bowed or vibrated at specific frequencies, certain regions vibrate in the opposite direction as others, divided by still lines known as nodes. If the plate is covered in sand, for example, the grains are naturally pushed away from the vibrating regions and collect along the still, silent nodes. These resulting geometric shapes are the primary inspiration for this piece. The music evokes not only the acoustic environment of this physical process but also treats the stark, striking shapes as works of art. Musically, the piece is guided by three main figures. As the work unfolds, these figures are overlapped, stretched, and combined, creating a dynamic soundscape where shape dissolves into noise, and coalesces into resonance.