Recorded on the albums 현대 마스터피스 (Contemporary Masterpieces, Jiyoung Yi), 琴을 품다 (Embracing the Zither, Seyoun Park), and 이슬기 독주곡집 가야금 (Seulgi Lee Solo Gayageum Collection) (all released by Akdang Eban Records)

Highwire Act is a short, virtuosic piece that focuses on the rhythmic possibilities of gayageum. An energetic character is created through frequent sudden rhythmic and registral shifts, displaced accents, syncopation and cross-rhythm. The title has a double meaning, referring both to the wires (strings) of the gayageum as well as to a circus act in which the performer must balance precariously on a wire suspended above the ground, while performing acrobatic feats, a remarkable performance of which the composer once witnessed while visiting Seoul. The demands on the gayageum performer are comparable, requiring the player to maintain the delicate balance of leaping around the instrument at high speed while not “falling off”. Highwire Act was commissioned by and composed for Jiyoung Yi, with gratitude for her adventurous spirit in seeking out new works.