CODA [Concert Of Digital Artists} Northeastern University

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Sam Beebe

Born in Boston and raised in Marblehead, MA, Sam is a senior Music Technology student, graduating in the spring of 2009. Besides composing acoustic and electro-acoustic music, Sam writes and performs his own songs, tutors music theory and literature, and is a member of the Northeastern University Choral Society. He is currently composing music for string trio as well as for trumpet and live electronics, and each will be performed in April at Northeastern's Senior Music Technology Recital.

Poor Bonnie's Afflictions was made in a few sittings in December of '08 and January of '09, after about a month-long affair with Truman Capote's In Cold Blood. The text was taken from the non-fiction novel; a true story of loss, speculation, and fear. Recitations come from three sources: Angelica Sirabella, Elisabeth Stenger, and the author himself. A great deal of time was spent researching the text and finding an appropriate electroacoustic setting for this material. This piece, in the future, could certainly be part of a larger cycle.

Traum developed out of a composition assignment in one of Doug Durant's theory classes that focused on tone rows, specifically using smaller interval sets within a row, to make a short piece for piano. Using a tone row this way provided boundaries, restrictions that roughly guided the harmony component. The piece was ultimately written by ear, responding and reacting to the pre-composed sets of intervals. What began as a rigid set of harmonic structures quickly became a foundation for a unique piece that I worked out according to what I found aurally pleasing. Creating harmonic movement ahead of time was a rich starting point for an experimental and intuitive method of composing. Traum was completed in November of 2007.

Completed in the spring of 2007, Violin Sonata was my first piece of chamber music. My life changed in September of 2006, just a few weeks after I had written the opening motive of this piece. How peculiar it is that I picked this music without any knowledge of things to come. In any event, this piece became an outlet for deep sadness, giving me a constructive way to express myself during such a hard time. Thanks to Doug Durant for his effort to help me complete this piece, which of course, is dedicated to Brian David Evans.