Spark by Matīss Čudars

“A spark is a sudden, brief burst of light and heat generated by the rapid movement of electrons between two electrically charged objects. When referring to a person's demeanor or personality, "spark" can indicate liveliness, energy, or enthusiasm.

In my piece Spark, just like the two electrically charged objects, the pianos (acoustic and synthesized) and percussion (marimba and vibraphone) sets interact with each other, generating rapid movements of electrons, creating lush, aural fountains of glowing particles, propelled by the energetic and enthusiastic music making always present in icarus Quartet, whose artistry breathes life into every note.”

—Matīss Čudars

Commissioned by the 2022-23 iQ Tests program