HISTOS

Histos, an ongoing cycle of solo piano movements, is more than just a musical work; it’s a term that transcends mere historiography. Composed (and still in progress) by Brazilian composer Alexandre Lunsqui, the cycle is described by him as “made up of relatively short pieces that can be considered studies or even preludes, as they individually explore specific technical and musical situations. Each one of the pieces uses as its driving force small musical motives, rhythmic flavors, distinct textures, and harmonic colors somewhat borrowed from other works from the past and present… The musical seeds extracted from these composers act as a sort of DNA for the new creations.”

I’m here to share this journey with you—not just as a pianist premiering movements from Histos, but as someone diving headfirst into the mind of Brazilian composer Alexandre Lunsqui.
Why? Because this cycle isn’t just music; it’s a living, breathing universe. Through analysis, conversations with Lunsqui himself, and even chasing down the ghosts of “historical” figures (any moment or person we dare to acknowledge), I’m piecing together the story behind this ever-growing work.

At the heart of Histos lies Lunsqui’s profound belief in globalization in music—a theme he has explored extensively in his writings. For him, globalization isn’t just a buzzword; it’s a lens through which we can understand how musical ideas travel, transform, and resonate across cultures and time. This belief is vividly reflected in Histos, where the musical universe of composers and artists from vastly different traditions—Johann Sebastian Bach, Georg Philipp Telemann, François Couperin, Domenico Scarlatti, Joseph Haydn, Arnold Schönberg, Olivier Messiaen, Jose Gramani, Ligeti, Villa-Lobos, Kenny Kirkland, Ahmad Jamal, Keith Jarrett, Wayne Shorter, among others—coalesce into something entirely new.

Oh yes, I’ll admit: I’m hooked on the mysteries.
Why does Lunsqui keep expanding Histos instead of starting fresh?
How does a composer steeped in Latin American culture, jazz improvisation, and cutting-edge electronic music end up crafting a purely acoustic piano odyssey—no gimmicks, just raw sound?
What secrets did he bring back from his time at IRCAM, the legendary Parisian lab where music meets science?

And did I mention Lunsqui studied with Tristan Murail? (I’m still geeking out over that.)

As a contemporary pianist with confidence in my technique, I’ll also be exploring the technical challenges that bring Histos to life—challenges that demand both precision and creativity. My goal is to solve these challenges in a way that maximizes the music’s expressive potential and sonic impact. After all, isn’t collaboration—between composer, performer, and listener—one of the most beautiful things in the world?

This project is supported in part by partially by American Academy of Arts and Letters Award’s Music Award Winner, and Manhattan School of Music.

Stay tuned. There’s so much more to uncover.

Watch

《Histos》
一部流动的音乐史诗

《Histos》是一部由巴西裔作曲家Alexandre Lunsqui持续创作中的钢琴独奏组曲，其意义远超“历史书写”。他将它形容为“由短小篇章构成的研究或前奏曲，每首探索独特的技巧与音乐情境。它们以微小动机、节奏韵味、多元织体与和声色彩为驱动，这些元素借自过去与当下的作品……我从作曲家身上提取的音乐基因，创作新的材料。”
作为首演这部作品的钢琴家，我会深入Lunsqui的创作世界：通过乐谱分析、与他的对话，追踪那些“历史人物”（任何被我们赋予意义的瞬间或个体），拼凑这部不断生长的作品的灵魂。
Lunsqui坚信音乐的全球化——这一理念贯穿他的文章与创作。《Histos》如同一面棱镜，折射出巴赫的严谨、拉丁美洲的韵律、爵士的即兴、频谱主义的科学诗意……从巴洛克大师泰勒曼、库普兰，到现代作曲家利盖蒂、梅西安，再到爵士巨匠Keith Jarrett、Wayne Shorter，不同时空的声音在此交融新生，而这又并非重复模仿，也非投机取巧，而是作曲家对真正的艺术的追求，对创新的坚持。
我着迷于那些未解之谜：为何Lunsqui永续扩展《Histos》，而非另起新篇？为何深耕电子音乐与爵士的他，选择用纯粹原声钢琴创作？他在巴黎IRCAM实验室的经历如何塑造了他的选择？而跟随频谱大师Tristan Murail的学习经历使他更接近或者更远离了什么吗？
作为钢琴家，我将以技术为舟，穿越这些充满挑战的乐章，让每个音符迸发最大表现力。
若你也相信音乐创作是作曲家、演奏者与聆听者共筑的奇迹，请随我一同探索这片无垠的天地。