Jan. 2021 (for full orchestra)

From the Darkness is based on my favorite artist’s painting from 2008 and poem, which she exclaimed that the words rushed to her immediately after she finished the artwork, and it was written to celebrate her 80th birthday. The piece takes place in a dark, ominous forest filled only with the barely-audible chirps of insects, and the sudden arrival of three witches instantly brings magic and wonder. Their serenade is a soothing and remedying force that heals a trembling, lonely soul, and when their job is done, they vanish into thin air—perhaps to find the next fragile soul in need of comfort.

Selected as the apprentice composer of National Youth Orchestra of the USA (NYO-USA)2022.

Merit Winner of the National YoungArts Competition in composition (2022).

1st Prize Winner of the Metropolitan Youth Orchestra Emerging Composers Competition Division 1 (2022).

Read by The Juilliard School Pre-College Symphony on May 7th, 2022.

illustrated by Satoko Kitagawa

Jan. 2021 (for brass quintet)

Inspired by Nobel Prize-winning author William Golding’s Lord of the Flies, the brass quintet tells the story of a group of British schoolboys marooned on an uninhabited island and their disastrous attempt to govern themselves. First, the scar—the plane crash site—and the key players of the novel are introduced. The conch is blown by Ralph to summon the other boys from the plane, but organization is proven to be difficult, as most of them are still too young and unprepared for independence and maturity. Their efforts to build a signal fire to affect a rescue ends up putting a whole forest on fire. A boy gets lost in the midst of the chaos, and the battle against savagery begins.

Oct. 2020 (for orchestra & voice)

lyrics by Jessi Kaufman & music by Yuri Lee

Taking advantage of a global project that allowed for creativity to shine through, I collaborated with my friend, Jessi Kaufman, in writing Madame Deficit, which tells the story of the French Revolution through Marie Antoinette’s perspective. This song merges music of the two parties in dispute: the royal family and the poor. By gloating, complaining, and gossiping, the sassy queen brings the listener back to the major social upheaval in the 18th century.

Special thanks to all of the wonderful singers and the awesome lyricist!

illustrated by Satoko Kitagawa

The lyric video, with Nora Schell Podoll as Antoinette, was premiered in the virtual holiday concert video in Music Around Us Project (MAUP #16).

July 2020 (for piano quintet)

“Avast, Ye!” illustrates a pirate captain and the crew's adventure in search of the ancient tree rumored to hold the sap of salvation, which can heal any type of injuries and wounds. With the energetic opening, the ship sets sail and endures the wild, untamable waves in desperation to claim the magical power of the tree. As the sea calms down and the rain clouds roll away, the sun shines upon the colossal tree branches that bring hope and delight to the pirates. The celebration of their success filled with drinks, music, dancing, and laughter around the fire lasts forever - until of course when they become greedy for more.

Now, imagine yourself as the captain aboard your pirate ship. What treasure are you looking for? What is your adventure?

(Pirate Glossary: “Avast, ye!” means “Pay attention and check this out!”)

Premiered in MCM’s New Composers livestream 2020.

illustrated by Yuri Lee

June 2020 (for two violins)

Everyone knows the importance of practicing 40 hours a day, thanks to Brett and Eddy’s teachings of the Ling Ling ways. However, we must also remember that by playing our instruments, we are fulfilling their essence and dreams.

This violin duet illustrates the story of one lonely violin, waiting and waiting in its case to be played. Will the case ever be opened? Or will it forever remain in its quarantined state? Let us explore the antsy, flustered, dejected mind of the forgotten violin.

Premiered at Celebrating Luna Lab Fellows 2017-2020 livestream.

TwoSet Violin

May 2020 (for solo violin)

Flutter is based on Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo, a dark fantasy novel about secret societies in Yale. This piece illustrates a particular moment when the protagonist first encounters magic. She is introduced to a magical moth species that can drink or suck up ink from any surface by beating their wings, and she comes to a shocking revelation that the world is not what it seems when the moths completely erase her full sleeve tattoo by drinking the ink on her arms. The beginning of this piece conveys waves of anxiety, the protagonist’s initial reaction to the moths - not only because she experiences magic for the first time, but because she has a phobia of butterflies. Then, with a “plink” of the tremolo and pizzicato double stop half way throughout the piece, the music illustrates the wonder, curiosity, and awe that soon overwhelms her.

illustrated by Yuri Lee

May 2020 (for full orchestra)

Hey Warrior, Keep Going was originally a brass quintet about overcoming obstacles in sports and other aspects of life. However, with the COVID-19 outbreak that brought many people in the world hardships and pain, I decided to orchestrate this piece to give energy and hope to everyone - the frontline workers, struggling laborers, the jobless, overworked parents - and to show appreciation towards those who are risking their lives to save others.

April 2020 (for mezzo-soprano and violin)

“The Tyger” is a famous poem by William Blake who was a pious man and an accomplished painter before he became interested in poetry. He frequently incorporated biblical themes in his paintings and poems, since he was extremely religious during the earlier part of his life. But, this particular poem contains a dark undertone as the speaker asks a series of rhetorical questions regarding the existence and the audacity of God. It is a good representation of a crisis of faith, which may have been affected by a traumatic event in 1787 (which was when his beloved brother died from tuberculosis at the age of 24. This poem actually goes hand in hand with another poem Blake wrote called “The Lamb”, which is kind of like paying tribute to God and the creation of the world. So I began the piece with a sweet “lamb” motif that progresses into dark, twisted music to illustrate the change in his view of God. I hope you enjoy, The Tyger.

Performed remotely on zoom by Duo Cortona on May 9th, 2020

Oct. 2019 - Feb. 2020 (for brass quintet)

The playoff game on Halloween of 2019 - fighting for the goal to break the tie that had all of us on edge throughout the whole 80 minute game, plus the 20 minute overtime. Recalling August 19th, the beginning of all of the running, the practices in the rain, the kicking of the ball on mud, and the coming together of the team began, we fought for victory, forgetting the fact that we would have already been trick-or-treating by the second 10-minute overtime that we were in. And as the final whistle was blown with the ball at the back of our net, my soccer season ended with literal blood, sweat, and tears. Players and teams like mine, who work hard but only have had four wins (if you count the two by forfeits), sometimes need the push to propel them forward. Countless emotions - pure joy, exhaustion, frustration and surprise - are involved with sports; this is a piece written to remind them of their love and passion for what they do.

Jan. 2020 (for bandoneon, two violins, cello and bass)

Mystery Tango is based on the concept of an escape room, which is a thrilling adventure inside a room full of riddles. A series of clues are discovered as you uncover the mystery to the plot, but you must piece together the puzzle pieces before it is too late. This piece illustrates the thrill and enigma of solving the case. 

Performed by Rodolfo M. Zanetti, Lucie Gelinas, Yuri Lee, Devree Lewis, and Pedro Giraudo at MCM Live Tango Music Winter Night on February 7th, 2020.