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beneath sound SATB piano choir score cover

About the Composer

Katerina Gimon

Composer, improviser, and vocalist Katerina Gimon’s uniquely dynamic, poignant, and eclectic compositional style has earned her a reputation as a distinct voice in contemporary Canadian composition and beyond. Her music has been described as “sheer radiance” (Campbell River Mirror), “imbued…with human emotion” (San Diego Story), and capable of taking listeners on a “fascinating journey of...

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Katerina Gimon

beneath/sound (SATB, piano)

Name: beneath/sound (SATB, piano)
SKU: KG-BeneathSound
Availability: InStock

Katerina Gimon

This striking, evocative work takes listeners on a fascinating journey of textural discovery.

Difficulty: 4

KG-BeneathSound

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Alternative Versions

beneath/sound

View SATB with chamber ensemble version
beneath/sound

View SATB, piano, and percussion version

SATB and piano*

Available in three versions:
1) SATB with violin, cello, harp, and percussion
2) SATB with piano and percussion
3) SATB with piano*
*This version also doubles as a choir/rehearsal score for the first two versions

“beneath/sound” is a setting of an evocative spatialized poem by Toronto-born poet Yaya Yao entitled “sound” (from her “flesh/tongue”). The music explores soaring melodies and intricate textures, bringing to life the earthly beauty and mystery of the poem.
“beneath/sound” was commissioned by the Orpheus Choir of Toronto (Robert Cooper, Artistic Director) and premiered at “Raising Her Voice” on March 8, 2019 at Grace Church on-the-Hill in Toronto, Ontario, Canada conducted by Elise Naccarato.

Composer’s Notes

Conductor’s note:

“From the outset of Katerina’s work, we are on a journey of aural exploration as she thoughtfully builds a choral soundscape between high tension and mysterious silence. Katerina asks the singers to improvise and takes them on a fascinating journey of textural discovery.”

— Robert Cooper, Orpheus Choir of Toronto, Artistic Director

Composer’s note:

Among other things, what drew me to Yaya’s poem was its evocative natural imagery, use of repetition, and unique spatialization. I was interested in exploring how I might be able to convey these aspects musically, a unique challenge!

At the beginning of my process, I spent a significant of time reading over and marking up a printed copy of the poem. This included highlighting key words, drawing images or marking descriptive words to show what a section might sound like (including their textures/densities), dividing the text into sections, and imagining an overall shape for the piece. Afterwards, I worked on creating the material for each section through a combinational of vocal and piano improvisation. For some portions I created my own vocal ‘mock-ups’ to get a better sense of the effectiveness of certain ideas. Afterwards, I pieced everything together and chipped away to a final product that, I hope, conveys the earthly beauty and mystery of this poem!

— Katerina Gimon