Trichroma for Harp + Electronics

Written for harp and live electronics, this piece was inspired by the Young-Helmholtz Theory (or trichromatic theory), which suggests that the human eye perceives color via three main types of photoreceptors. These receptors respond to different wavelengths of light (red, green, and blue), the combinations of which form a full spectrum of color. To capture this idea musically, the harp material is divided into three distinct pitch regions, with the central region being detuned to match the harmonic series (on C). The electronics, and their operator, respond in real time to the sound from the harp, serving both to accentuate the differences in register and to begin to blend them together. These regions converge, overlap, and break apart again as the piece progresses, beginning and ending in the detuned central region of the harp.