신명 takes its inspiration from sinawi, the uniquely Korean music that originated in shaman rituals. When Kwon Seongtaek, music director of the Jeollabuk-do Gugak Orchestra, commissioned me to write a piece based on sinawi he asked me to “write sinawi in my own style”. In considering how to draw on its essence, I decided to focus on what are, for me, the most attractive elements of sinawi – its rawness, its driving rhythms, and its wild, sometimes almost chaotic character. Sinawi is free spirited, infused with energy, and I wanted to write a piece that captured that feeling.

The title refers to the collective experience of achieving a cathartic state of spiritual energy, one of the major features of shaman rituals. Just as sinawi aims to release the internalized spiritual energy of the attendees, 신명, the piece, aims to generate a cathartic release of musical energy.

Apart from the character of sinawi, 신명 also draws on several of its musical characteristics. The music of sinawi typically alternates between passages of ensemble playing, and passages featuring solo instruments. Similarly, 신명 alternates between passages of full orchestra and passages featuring individual instrumental sections, as a sort of a concerto for orchestra. Further, sinawi usually focuses on a small amount of melodic material, which each performer shapes in their own distinct way. Likewise, 신명 uses only a single theme, which is developed through continuous variation by each instrumental section.

The piece begins with an energetic gesture, followed by the opening orchestral section, which builds to the first of several climaxes. The music then proceeds to alternate between solo-like instrumental passages and passages played by the full orchestra, as the theme is subjected to a wide range of characterizations, including a hazy, floating passage in the middle. The drive to the final climax at the end sees the return of the opening gesture, as the cathartic moment of the piece is reached.

About 12 minutes long, 신명 is dedicated to Jeollabuk-do Gugak Orchestra and its director Kwon Seongtaek.