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- Kevin Volans
Chakra for 3 percussionists and orchestra (2012)
- Chester Music Ltd (World)
Commissioned by SISU Percussion Ensemble, Norway
- 3perc + 2+pic.2.1+bcl.1+cbn/4.3.3.1/2perc/hp/str
- Percussion, Percussion, Percussion
- 25 min
Programme Note
Chakra was originally conceived as a piece for three percussionists and premiered at Ultima festival in Oslo in 2004. This enlarged re-working of the piece for percussionists and orchestra was created for SISU Percussion Ensemble and the Norwegian Radio Orchestra and first performed in 2012.
Kevin Volans writes:
“I was interested in writing a virtuoso piece in which the speed of the drumming was such that, rather than rhythms, I would be working with 'planes' of sound - planes which seemed to me to give an illusion of curving. To assist this, and help with their co-ordination, the players are grouped in a circle. Many of the patterns move around from one player to another, ascending or descending in a spiral fashion. I wanted to eliminate any hint of an ethnic quality to the music, so chose drums which are distinctly western. Also, for the first time since the 1970s, I used some serial composition techniques, partially in acknowledgement of my teacher of that time, Stockhausen, who turned 75 the year I wrote the piece.”
‘Chakra’ is a sanskrit word meaning ‘wheel’ - a name which reflects some moments in the piece.
Kevin Volans writes:
“I was interested in writing a virtuoso piece in which the speed of the drumming was such that, rather than rhythms, I would be working with 'planes' of sound - planes which seemed to me to give an illusion of curving. To assist this, and help with their co-ordination, the players are grouped in a circle. Many of the patterns move around from one player to another, ascending or descending in a spiral fashion. I wanted to eliminate any hint of an ethnic quality to the music, so chose drums which are distinctly western. Also, for the first time since the 1970s, I used some serial composition techniques, partially in acknowledgement of my teacher of that time, Stockhausen, who turned 75 the year I wrote the piece.”
‘Chakra’ is a sanskrit word meaning ‘wheel’ - a name which reflects some moments in the piece.