Asa Nisi Masa | Drew Baker

Year:

2005

Instrumentation:

solo amplified piano

Duration:

15 minutes

Performances:

October 27, 2005 - Marilyn Nonken - Music Harvest Festival, Odense, Denmark
April 13, 2006 - Marilyn Nonken - University of Maryland - Baltimore County
May 21, 2006 - Amy Briggs - Northwestern University New Music Marathon - Evanston, IL
March 9, 2009 - Matthew McCright - Westminster College - New Wilmington, PA
March 26, 2009 - Matthew McCright - Tenri Cultural Institute - New York, NY May 15, 2009
May 15, 2009 - Matthew McCright - Piano Forte - Chicago, IL

The title Asa Nisi Masa is taken from Frederico Fellini's film 8 1/2. Toward the middle of the film, a group of children are put to bed. One of the boys begins to stare at a portrait on the wall while his sister chants "ASA NISI MASA." The repeated spell is intended to make the eyes of the portrait's subject come to life. The general idea of transformation through repetition is central to this work, especially in the opening section.

Drew Baker was awarded Northwestern University's William T. Faricy Composition Prize for Asa Nisi Masa.