mi ken kama sin tawa sin ala anu seme

Composition, ~6 minutes
June 2026

lasin pona: mi ken kama sin tawa sin ala anu semu
english: "can we go back to normal?"

This piece was written as part of precept.‌‌concept.percept XIII, a year-long residency for composers and performers of contemporary classical music. Composers create new works for the specific ensemble available that year, and these works are premiered at the annual Bled Contemporary Music Week festival in Bled, Slovenia.

This piece was inspired by some of my ongoing challenges when it comes to relationships. I struggled—still struggle—to understand and express my feelings, wants, needs; I was—still am—resistant to change, and conflict-averse. When I realise I am unhappy, my deepest desire, probably, is to go back to normal—I incorrectly believe that it is unrealistic for the circumstances to change, and so I wish for my discomfort to vanish, because it would be easier. (I am in no way unique for thinking this way.)

This piece, then, tries to go back to normal. Not quite a rondo, it establishes a theme; then, abruptly, something dramatically different. (I think of it as a crisis.) Instruments detune, fall out of time—no, better not dwell on it, back to the theme, back to normal…

Obviously, though, it cannot be the same again. It will never be the same as the first time; it will never be the same after having heard the middle segment. The end bears the scars of the middle and the core of the beginning.

Instrumentation

• Violin
• Tenor pan flute
• Classical guitar
• Piano