Disquiet (2025)

Disquiet is a large-scale solo work that explores a nocturnal atmosphere—introspective, lyrical, and at times uneasy. Inspired by the tradition of the nocturne, I drew on Romantic and Impressionist languages, letting the music unfold in waves of shifting harmony and texture. A recurring refrain runs throughout the piece, creating a sense of continuity amid constant motion.

About halfway through, I quote the Gregorian chant Alleluia Pascha Nostrum, using it to evoke a moment of calm, inward reflection, and solitude. In the final section, I reimagine the piece’s opening material as a montuno—a repeating and syncopated Cuban rhythmic pattern. This shift affirms a musical homecoming: after stretching the tres into more classical and reflective spaces, I return to its native voice.

The piece as a whole traces a path between the familiar and the unfamiliar, between searching and return. I premiered Disquiet as part of my Master’s recital at the Setnor School of Music in Syracuse, NY.