Sean William Calhoun | Composer and pianist

The Fae Nucleus was composed for Rosanna Moore and Amy Nam, and was supported by a grant from the American Harp Society. The overall concept is combining futuristic technology with the surreal flora and fungi of nature overtaken with fae influence. I drew particular inspiration from Chime’s album Aetherborne and from the Kwangya aesthetics of the group æspa. There is only a vague narrative, but to set the atmosphere for each movement, here are fragments from an imaginary text in the world of The Fae Nucleus:

The Neuron Grove

“The path traversed verdant profusions of cords...”
“...sparking among them like impulses through axons...”
“...a vast system, awakened by our entrance.”

Facade

“In the clearing, shimmering fragments danced gracefully...”
“...crashing and rending, coming out of alignment...”
“...welcoming glow resumed, now sickly and wavering.”

A Blight upon the Wires

“The veil disintegrated, revealing pervasive corruption ravaging...”
“...a glimpse of an oasis yet unmarred...”
“...an iterating collapse of displays and illusions.”

The Lambent Reliquary

“Following soft chiming, we found a haven...”
“...a lament for branches blighted beyond recovery...”
“...in the center, a hope for renewal.”

Kernel

“The minuscule foundation from which it grew...”
“...vibrant tendrils burgeoning from the pure core...”
“...swirls of revivifying energy arced all around.”

Root Rewrite

“The crushing snarl of rot permeated memory..."
“...blight viciously fought our attempts to purge...”
“...its source was riven by scouring bolts.”

The Sky Myriad

“Now fully restored, a new cycle began..."
“...stars appeared, drawing us to the heavens...”
“...wreathed in woven radiance, we join them.”