Felipe Lara
Meditation and Calligraphy (2014) for bass flute
Premiered May 14, 2014
Parábolas na Caverna (2013-2014) for amplified flute
Premiered April 4, 2014
Density 2036: part ii
*Commissioned by the Fromm Music Foundation.
Meditation and Calligraphy for bass flute
Density 2036: part ii (2014)
Between April and June, I had the incredible opportunity to participate in a residency at Civitella Ranieri, a 15th Century castle transformed into an artist foundation in the picturesque region of Umbria, Italy. During my time there, I had the privilege of meeting G. Mend-Ooyo, a remarkable Mongolian poet and calligrapher who deeply fascinated me. Born and raised by a nomadic herding family in the vast Mongolian steppe, his work has been translated into forty languages, a testament to its universal appeal.
Curious to witness his artistic process, I asked Mend-Ooyo to share his work with me. He graciously invited me to his studio, where I was mesmerized by the bold gestures, lyricism, and intricate details of his calligraphy. During a subsequent afternoon, he surprised me with two exquisite calligraphies, skillfully executed in black, red, and pencil on a backdrop of yellow and gold paper. One bore the Mongolian symbol for music, while the other showcased symbols of fire and water. Intrigued by his creative approach, I inquired, "How do you create such incredible calligraphies?" His response struck me deeply: "Meditation, meditation, meditation...for a very long time…then calligraphy with very quick gestures." I found this method profoundly poetic.
Shortly thereafter, renowned flutist Claire Chase arrived at the castle to collaborate on my piece Parábolas na Caverna and perform a solo concert. Grateful for the enriching experiences, I decided to express my gratitude by composing a small piece for them both. I embarked on an imaginative journey, meditating on the general character of a solo bass flute work throughout an entire evening. Upon awakening, I promptly transcribed my creative thoughts in less than 30 minutes, capturing the essence of my musical vision.
![DENSITY2036: Felipe Lara - Mediation and Calligraphy (for G. Mend Ooyo) [2014] | International Contemporary Ensemble](https://i.vimeocdn.com/video/517717606-c9fc2ba8b524c92a5840bbf8523d08c92fc48c9e0a9a3b2eae30f45f079f8770-d_1920x1080)
In shaping the composition, I took inspiration from the letters of G. Mend-Ooyo's name, which served as the starting point for the pitch material: G (sol), Me (E flat, from solfège), D (re), and Do (C). Additionally, I employed the vowel sounds from his name to modulate the flute whenever singing and playing simultaneously were required (Oo-y-o). This intimate connection with Mend-Ooyo's artistic essence allowed me to infuse the piece with a unique and profound significance, serving as a sincere tribute to the extraordinary experiences shared at Civitella Ranieri.
— Felipe Lara
Parábolas na Caverna (2013-14) for amplified flute
density 2036: part ii
The title (Parables in the Cave) refers to Plato’s “Parable of the Cave,” a dialogue between Plato’s brother Glaucon and his mentor Socrates, who is the narrator. In a nutshell, Socrates describes a group of people who have been chained to the wall of a cave their entire lives, without ever experiencing reality. The prisoners watch the shadows projected in the wall of the cave by a fire behind them and ascribe names and meanings to the distorted shadows of various objects and passer-bys outside of the cave. For (Plato’s) Socrates the shadows are as true a view the prisoners will ever see of reality. For him, philosophy (as well as knowledge and education) helps liberating oneself from such a cave, thus leading to a better understand of the world around them. Parábolas was written for Claire Chase and is dedicated to Andreas Waldburg-Wolfegg, Claire’s mentor and the Chairman of ICE’s board from 2007-2013.
— Felipe Lara
Praised by The New York Times as "a gifted Brazilian-American modernist" whose works are “brilliantly realized,” “technically formidable, wildly varied,” and possess “voluptuous, elemental lyricism,” Felipe Lara—whose work includes orchestral, chamber, vocal, film, electroacoustic, and popular music—engages in producing new musical contexts by means of (re)interpreting and translating acoustical and extra-musical properties of familiar source sonorities into project-specific forces. He often aspires to create self-similar relationships between the macro and micro-articulation of the musical experience and highlights the interdependence of acoustic music composition and technology.
His music has been recently commissioned by leading soloists, ensembles, and institutions such as the Arditti Quartet, Brentano Quartet, Claire Chase, Conrad Tao, Donaueschinger Musiktage, Ensemble InterContemporain, Ensemble Modern, Helsinki Philharmonic, International Contemporary Ensemble, Loadbang, Los Angeles Philharmonic, Parker Quartet, and São Paulo Symphony Orchestra, as well as recently performed by the Ensemble Recherche, esperanza spalding, Ilan Volkov, JACK Quartet, KNM Berlin, Mivos Quartet, Netherlands Radio Chamber Philharmonic Hilversum, New York Philharmonic, Nouvel Ensemble Moderne, Peter Eötvös, Steven Schick, Susanna Mälkki, Talea Ensemble, Tanglewood Music Center Orchestra, and Thomas Adès.
The recipient of a Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study Fellowship from Harvard University, he holds a Ph.D. in Music Composition from New York University (Graduate School of Arts and Science) where he was a Henry M. MacCracken Fellow, a Master’s from Tufts University, and a Bachelor's degree from Berklee College of Music.
Lara is an Assistant Professor and Chair of the Composition Department at The Peabody Institute of the Johns Hopkins University. Having previously taught at Boston Conservatory at Berklee and Faculty of Arts and Science at New York University, he was Visiting Assistant Professor at the University of Chicago’s Department of Music and Visiting Lecturer at Harvard’s Department of Music, where he was awarded two Harvard Excellence in Teaching Awards.