먹 [mək] is a Korean word that means “inkstick”.
Though ink might seem like mere blackness, it unveils an infinity of shades through brush strokes, ink density, water concentration, the pressure of the hand, and the empty spaces. I related this to the performer’s kinesthetic sense: ink density represents the pressure of the reed in the mouth, brush strokes represent the intensity of air blown into the instrument, water concentration represents the volume of air, the pressure of the hand represents the minor movements of finger muscles and gestures on the instrument’s keys and toneholes, and empty spaces represent the spaces in the sound.

This piece is written for the bassoonist, Ben Roidl-Ward.

Premiere: November 1, 2024, 7:30 PM at Tenri Cultural Institute, NY
Other performance: February 13, 2025, 7:30 PM at The University of New Mexico, Keller Hall