Evangelina Telfar: Synapse - VIDEO

About

Evangelina Telfar’s Synapse for erhu and percussion is dedicated to 2016 Gruber Neuroscience Prize winner Poo Mu-Ming, whose work on synaptic plasticity in the brain is explored in the work “through both an additive and subtractive minimalist-inspired style."

The piece begins in a state of zero synaptic connection, gradually creating linkages before they are again weakened as the piece ends. Erhu and Chinese percussion tie the work back to its dedicatee.

Synapse is performed in this Resound film from the 2017 Lilburn Trust NZSM Composers Competition by Xiaotong Yang (erhu) and Naoto Segawa (percussion), the former being awarded a special performers prize by the judging panel.

At the time of this performance, Evangelina was completing her Honours degree in composition, with a focus on Chinese music. She also composes music and designs sound for theatre and film.

Audio recorded by Roy Carr, with assistance from Jesse Austin-Stewart. Film funded by NZ On Air.

For a higher quality film of this performance, click here.