During my experimentations with the concept of silence and space, I have discovered that they are essential elements to consider when thinking of a composition or improvisation. Focusing someones attention on the brief moments of silence, the space that the performance is being held, the space between things (objects, musicians, notes) and the contemplative element that these moments of silence could bring out has been very influential in my own writing. 

Miniature X (2024)

for 6 players and 6 metronomes


The 10th of a collection of 10 minatures titled Growing Pile of Peculiar Objects, I have explored the focus on space, improvisation and active listening. Asking 6 of the players to set a seperate metronome, they had to play their designated pitch whenever they felt like it was the right moment. Creating a tapestry consisting of 7 notes of the C major scale, it was designed to obscure the functions of each note, only focusing on the sound palette they create.

 

I have created a very open score, almost like a scarcely painted canvas, for the players to have freedom to adapt to their way of thinking. Treating the overtones that linger after each note in the space, the acoustiics as a cushion to land desired notes on, the space, both the space it was performed and space between notes, was some of the key elements of this work.

 

The main aspect of this miniature was to explore the space between notes. Implementing literal rests in the score and asking players to be as sparse as possible was a way of achieving the desired outcome. Inspired by the concept of Ma and obscuring the functional roles of notes within a diatonic scale, this piece evokes the tranquil aspects of a meditative experience.

 

Lastly, this entire movement was also inspired by a certain composer and a specific work which was very influential on me since the day I listened to it for the first time. It is Rothko Chapel by Morton Feldman1. The usage of silence, intuition and creating a certain ambience that is related to Morton Feldman's paintings, which the work is dedicated to,  has sparked additonal ideas. As a self taught painter myself, I tried to think of a certain image and how to interpret it through sound. Even though he was very influential regarding usage of space and silence, and I would have loved to discuss more of Feldman, unfortunately only a brief introduction to his wonderful music will have to suffice for this research.

Space

The word space is being described as the following by the Oxford Dictionary; 

  • a continuous area or expanse which is free, available, or unoccupied. 

  • the dimensions of height, depth, and width within which all things exist and move 

  • position (two or more items) at a distance from one another. 

 

I like to contemplate on certain words and their meanings for a long period of time, to be able to comprehend at a level where I can implement them into my works somehow. Space happens to be one of these words. I always perceived the form as the main “space” of the musical sources are being put the. There are various variations, it could be to form a space, harmonic space and others. 

 

"On the one hand, silence is like fertile soil, which, as it were, awaits our creative act, our seed," Pärt says. "On the other hand, silence must be approached with a feeling of awe. And when we speak about silence, we must keep in mind that it has two different wings, so to speak. Silence can be both that which is outside of us and that which is inside a person. The silence of our soul, which isn't even affected by external distractions, is actually more crucial but more difficult to achieve." (Huizenga 2024)

-Arvo Pärt. NPR

MA

 

I have always loved and admired some of the words from different cultures, especially Japanese, that covers and entire concept or an emotion in one word, which I think we lack in western languages sometimes. One examples of such words is Ma, described as the Japanese concept of negative space; it means gap, space and pause. Introduced to me by my peers and experience in martial arts, it was a concept I have been implementing in both life and creative work.

 

In Japanese arts and culture, ma is an interpretation of the empty space. Generally holding as much importance as the artwork itself, the aim is to make the viewer focus on the space as much as what is in or surrounding it. The concept of space as a positive entity is opposed to the absence of such a principle in a correlated Japanese notion of space. A big part of Japanese garden design as well, composers such as Tōru Takemitsu, in his essays and creative sources, lists Ma, silence and garden design as an inspiration. (Tōru Takemitsu 1995) (Peter Burt 2006)

 

Though commonly used to refer to literal, visible negative space, ma may also refer to the perception of a space, gap or interval, which sparked some ideas for several compositions. Without necessarily requiring a physical compositional element, the idea of a gap between certain elements could be applied to many things. To create different layers. This results in the concept of ma being less reliant on the existence of a gap, and more closely related to the perception of a gap. I try to interpret the existence of ma in an artwork  as an emptiness full of possibilities, like a promise yet to be fulfilled, and when it comes to music as the silence between the notes which make the music.


MA is manifested in Japanese living architecture, garden design, music, flower arrangements (Ikebana) and poetry, which using one concept as an inspiration for different forms has been one of the core ideas of this research.

However, far from being just a philosophical or artistic concept, MA is ever-present in all aspects of daily life, which was an inspiration for me to explore it in every aspect of life as well. This way of thinking turns into an active usage without realising, almost turns into muscle memory when it comes to use it.

 

As a beautiful example that I have encountered while training Japanese martial arts for a big part of my life, I was taught when Japanese are taught to bow in early age, they are told to make a deliberate pause at the end of the bow before they come back up — as to make sure there is enough Ma in their bow for it to have meaning and look respectful. That little pause to give space and contemplate on many things, is something I still practice to this day.

Similarly, a tea break in a busy day has to be in a quiet place, away from the routines of work — so that one can soak in the serenity of MA before getting back to busy life. (Okakura 2016)

Chapter II

Bb trumpet: Jakub Gatek
Voice/Flute: Annija Krivjonoka
Guitar: Ali Yarici
Cello: Sigrid Angelsen
Vibraphone: Demetrio Schintu
Drums: Firtina Kiral

Left panel of the Pine Trees Screen by Hasegawa Tōhaku2. The empty space in this piece is considered to be as important as the trees depicted. One of the most common images that is related to Ma. 

Silence

Confronting Silence, 2024

for solo piano 9'


 A solo piano piece, based on a simple motif from a collection of pitches, ever changing throughout the piece. My intention was to make the audience constantly focus on the gaps, paying more attention to what's note there rather than what is there. The duration of the notes were chosen after improvising in the beginning, letting them stay long enough to almost make them fall into silence and letting the overtones and the resonance of the space linger. One of the core elements of the piece was to have a written structure of an output that almost sounds like improvised. And with attention the details, the listener can realise that when there are moments of sustained notes or silence for a long period of time, the ear actually starts filling the gaps, paying more attention to the overtones, other noises that are happening around, in this more activated listening and curious period. Taking Arvo Pärt's dedication to structure as an inspiration, this piece, even though it sounds improvised, there are reocurring elements that tie the movements together. Exploring the subtle interplay between structure and spontaneity, this piece will serve as an interlude for an upcoming suite for improvisers. The title and approach to solo piano music is influenced by one of my favourite composers selected essays. Confronting Silence by Tōru Takemitsu. (Takemitsu 1995)

 

This piece was inspired by the concept of Ma, landscapes and deep listening experiences. It will be premiered in Royal Convservatoire Den Haag Spring Festival April, 2025.

 

Den Haag, 2024.

Space 

- An improvised concert in Bergen with our duo with Norwegian cellist Sigrid Angelsen. We purposefully explore extreme dynamics, silence and textures, always having a conversation around these topics. Starting and ending in silence, every performance turns into a contemplative experience.

 

Improvisation I   14.12.14 Bergen

Angelsen/Kiral Duo

 Silence, to the composer, is like a clean canvas to a painter or a blank white paper to a poet. Tabula Rasa." (Arvo Pärt Centre 2025)

 

- Arvo Pärt

The importance of silence, the space between notes or anything so to say, has been of great value to various disciplines. The euphoric feeling that I mentioned in the prologue, the silence before the start or after the last note, has had a very strong impact on me. To this day, as an improviser and a composer, I start my daily practices always with silence, contemplating on what is about to happen. And I always end with a long pause at the end, when I decided it is the appropriate time to stop, let everything go back to silence.

 

Whenever I experience it, it always reminds me that what makes most ideas work, is what happens before, after and between them. Very relative to the concept of Space, the only difference between them for me is instead of the space things are happening, it is the focus of what is not happening between, before and after them.


Not what is there but what is not there.


Two crucial approaches to this are treating the silence to accentuate what is happening or my personal favourite, using what is happening to accentuate the silence. Both of them has been a crucial part, especially when it comes to improvising. A more personal approach, rather than focusing on what to play constantly, with this research I have started to think about where should I accentuate the rest between my phrases. This constant awareness to space and silence has helped me develop a different approach to writing and playing.

 

 

Silence 

The score and MIDI playback version.

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proceed to chapter III