UC Berkeley

Mixed ensemble piece for Pierrot Ensemble and Drone Machine.

Anima ("soul" in Italian) explores drama, space, and intimacy through the relationship between acoustic and electronic sound sources. The orchestral instruments of the ensemble are amplified, allowing them to fuse with the electronic sounds produced by an analog drone pedal in real time. The sound quality of the drone machine is reminiscent of an organ or bagpipe, with long, sustained tones that are brought to life and warped by a series of guitar effects pedals. The meditative nature of the drone brings a calm, spiritual element to the piece, but when pushed to its sonic limits, the machine is able to produce sounds that are forceful, powerful and intense, in an exploration of extremes that is mirrored by the other instruments of the ensemble.