Penta

Penta, meaning 4, is a piece that draws inspiration from melodic and rhythmic techniques found in Indian
classical music and blues, as well as the form of Ravel’s Bolero, with its cyclical development over time. The piece
has three different multi-phrase melodies, each repeating with a rotating combination of orchestral
accompaniment. As the accompaniment changes, different aspects of the melodies are highlighted by shifting
the emphasis of the rhythm and changing the colors of the harmonies. From Indian classical music, Penta uses
the rhythmic forms tihai and a chakradhar tihai. The entire piece is based on a cycle of 4
beats. Although Penta can sound quite emotional at times, there is no specific programmatic inspiration at the
foundation of its creation, other than bringing these different musical traditions together. However, I encourage
listeners and performers to create their own programmatic interpretations of the music in a way that is
personally meaningful