Fuchsia (2026)

for soprano, mezzo, countertenor, tenor, baritone, bass, and electronics

Premiere:

Premiered on April 21st, 2026 at St. Paul’s Chapel @ Columbia University by Ekmeles

Charlotte Mundy- Soprano
Amber Evans- Mezzo Soprano
Tomas Cruz- Countertenor
Andrew Fuchs- Tenor
Jeffrey Gavett- Baritone
Steven Hrycelak- Bass

Recorded, mixed, and mastered by Murat Çolak

Duration:

10 minutes

Program Note:

Over the summer of 2025, I had the pleasure of encountering the work of artist James Turrell on multiple occasions. My first exposure was at Copenhagen Contemporary, where I experienced his installation Aftershock. I later encountered several of his works during my Bang on a Can residency at Mass MoCA, including Skyspace, Perfectly Clear, and Hind Sight. I was struck by the way Turrell uses light and space as active entities—adding dimensionality, destabilizing perception, and creating moments where the eye begins to generate its own illusions. I was also deeply moved by how much of his work seems designed for solitary, still experience. For me, these encounters were intense, illuminating, and liberating.

Being immersed in Turrell’s work prompted reflection on somatic sensations of expansion and on the significance of color. I call this work Fuchsia in response to a recurring color I encountered throughout his installations. I also experience this color—and the sensation of expansiveness it evokes—as deeply connected to queer euphoria. Fuchsia is often associated with transformation, love, boldness, and femininity. The way light behaves in Turrell’s work—allowing one to see beyond the self and beyond surrounding space—profoundly influenced how I thought about these concepts and sound in this piece. Much of my work engages subtle timbral shifts within resonant space and follows a broader narrative that traces a deeply personal journey, all with the voice.