Threads and Traces is a work for solo viola and ensemble that explores the space between notes and the traces they leave behind. It was premiered by Sebastian Adams and the Kirkos Ensemble during the annual Irish Composers’ Collective Takeover concert on 13th November 2015.
The first movement, Chorale, features a slow and meditative viola melody that becomes frozen on certain notes, while the ensemble casts a fractured reflection of the melody before drifting off into silence. The second movement sees the viola exploring tiny fragments and traces of the first movement in an erratic and wild manner.
Spindrift, the third movement, features a flowing thread of viola melody, weaving broad contours along the range of the instrument. This thread drifts into the final movement, in which the ensemble projects a shimmering reflection of Spindrift onto the oscillating viola part.