Tenon

Tenon (2022) 
                                                                                                
William Mival

Variations and Interruptions for 10 players

Ten years is a significant proportion of our lives. The goals we set at the start of any decade undergo all kinds of change and transformation. Some things you intend might be achieved, some might not, but always there are surprises and unexpected detours along the way.

This piece is about those ambitions we set for ourselves; the feelings of excitement, of nervousness, the hopes with which we start out on a new relationship or a long journey and the unexpected developments and frustrations we can meet along the way.

After a brief introduction Tenon opens with a ‘sarabande’-like theme followed by a number of variations. But this format becomes smeared and the original theme gets rather lost before a more assertive ‘chaconne’-like final variation and a varied restatement of the opening.

Tenon is dedicated to the students and staff at the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts, School of Music not just in celebration of ten years since the establishment of the joint RCM/NAFA BMus degree programme but in thanks for the wonderful friendship and support NAFA and Singapore have given me over these very exciting years.