Not-being-us: for sinfonietta ensemble

not-being-us for sinfonietta ensemble explores the liminal spaces between modal structures with non-modal ones. The pitch-organization of the modal sections in this piece is based on Persian music intervals and is derived from the radīf of Persian classical music. Radīf, the main repertoire of the Persian classical music, consists of twelve modes; seven main ones called dastgāh and five smaller subgroups called āvāz or māya (or māyé). Each dastgāh or āvāz consists of a series of pre-composed musical units called gūša (or gūšé). In this piece, the electric piano has been re-tuned based on the intervals of the aforementioned dastgāhs.

This piece has been written in three movements without any pause in between. The first movement creates a fluid atmosphere in the dastgāh šūr and gets interrupted by the piano in the second movement to create modal as well as timbre and orchestration contrasts. While emphasizing the microtonal intervals between the pitches of dastgāh segāh, the second movement presents short glimpses from different modes. The third movement is an open-ended finale centered around the clarinet as a soloist while inviting the rest of the orchestra to partake. In this piece, the electric piano has been re-tuned based on the intervals of the aforementioned dastgāhs.