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Themes of Andaman
 

For Orchestra
Duration: 6'00"


Instrumentation:


Flute 1.2
Oboe 1.2
Clarinet 1.2
Bassoon 1.2

F Horn 1.2
[Offstage] Bb Trumpet 1.2
[Offstage] Trombone 1.2
Tuba

Timpani
Percussion
(Cymbals, Sus. Cym.)

Violin 1
Violin 2
Viola
Violoncello
Double Bass

About the Work:
 

Themes of Andaman (2023) won an annual composition competition held by King’s College London Symphony Orchestra (KCLSO). The piece depicts the scenery of the Andaman Sea, a northeastern part of the Indian Ocean beside Southeast Asian countries (Thailand, Myanmar, and Indonesia). Its beautiful coastline remains a popular paradise for locals and tourists alike.

Themes of Andaman is presented in ternary form. Apart from its rich Lydian sonority, the piece is contextualised with Southeast-Asian influences, such as pentatonicism and heterophony. The first section describes the picturesque sea. The introduction begins with the image of clashing waves, followed by a wave motif first played by the strings. The music proceeds to primary and secondary themes, showing the tranquil movement and shimmering surface respectively. With a livelier tempo, the middle section then depicts life along the coastline. A fanfare played from a distance draws attention to a civilisation in the Southeast land. After recapitulating the first section, the music finishes with an overwhelming sunset, leaving the Andaman Sea in the darkness.


Performance:
 

Premiered by the King's College London Symphony Orchestra on 24 November 2023 at the King's College London Chapel

© 2025 by Joe Mathawaphan

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