Commissioned work for Trois Fleches Clarinet Ensemble.
"Tereko" is a Japanese word in the Kansai dialect, meaning "alternate" or "transposition". The choice of "tereko" as the theme was quite unconventional for me. Before composing, I considered using a bass clarinet, Eb clarinet, or alto clarinet to expand the tone range. However, I realized that, given the wide range of Bb clarinets, only Bb clarinet quartet could create a truly cohesive ensemble. I decided to compose a quartet of four Bb clarinets that neither string nor saxophone quartet could emulate. While creating music exclusively for the clarinets, I recognized that they still have subtle differences due to individuality.

I designed this work to allow players to enjoy such nuanced differences. I aimed to create a form of music in which it would be challenging to discern who is playing each note on stage. The sound would be unified, yet the timbre would continually evolve, resulting in a kind of "fuzzy" ambiance.

The title "tereko" was adopted during the composition as a one-word expression of such a state.

(Chang Su Koh)