Tea Ceremony with Grains (Homage to Imane Zoubai)
Information
My residency at Künstler*dorf has been full of discoveries—both inter- nal and external—and I truly feel I have met people and encountered ideas that will carry me for years to come. It began with artist presen- tations by Imane Zoubai and Sohorab Rabbey, both of which struck me like lightning. One of Imane’s slides featured her drawings. On a piece of weaving-pattern grid paper, she had meticulously drawn dots, and the way these dots formed grouping patterns created a sense of rhythm. Indeed, as Imane explained, her work is inextricably tied to the notion of music—a connection I, as a musician, deeply resonate with.
Imane also served us tea on several occasions, in the traditional Moroc- can way. Sweetened green tea with mint, poured from a metal pot into glasses from a distance—creating foam on the surface of the tea—was always refreshing and calming. She explained that the foam helps pro- tect the tea from desert sand.
My piece Tea Ceremony with Grains is a synthesis of these experiences. I studied Imane’s drawing closely and reinterpreted the patterns to create a score—something akin to the piano rolls used in player pianos. The information in the score triggers various aspects of a water-like soundscape. Part of it is a recording of Imane pouring tea from a distance into a glass; another part is digitally and artificially generated. To imitate the sound of tea being poured, the piece gradually transitions from one chord to another—a process that at times manifests as a change in brightness, and at other times as a perceivable harmonic shift.
I dedicate this electronic work to Imane Zoubai and to all the fel- lows and staff members I have come to know during my time at Künstler*dorf Schöppingen. I look forward to creating many more pieces like this in collaboration with the wonderful people I have met—even if we are far apart.