Double Concerto

One day, I received an unexpected call on my mobile phone. It was from none other than the violinist Patricia Kopatchinskaja. I answered in delight, “Hello Patricia, I heard from someone that you played my piece as an encore at your concert. Thank you so much!"
Before I could continue, she interrupted: "Please write a double concerto for Claire
Chase and me! I need to go now, bye!"

She called me while on the move, just after a concert where she had played one of my pieces “Kusmetche” as an encore.

I was well aware of her work. I’ve listened to her perform many times and own several of her CDs, but we had never met in person.

To my surprise, she knew Claire Chase, with whom I’ve collaborated for decades. I immediately sent Claire a message, and she was just as surprised to hear about the double concerto – but more than that, she was thrilled about it.
It took about six years for this idea to become a reality.

In my imagination, the violin and flute soloists in this piece sometimes merge into one, like a bird flying freely in the sky. The two soar, occasionally in geometric shapes such as circles or spirals. The orchestra paints an afterimage of their flight, like a flock of birds in motion, swarming, with these two leading the way.
Although independent, the two soloists are always connected, as is the orchestra to the soloists. Together, they synchronize, a murmuration of starlings – a flock of many moving as one. Maybe that’s the essence of this piece:
the swarming of birds.

Dai Fujikura (edited by Joseph Ehrenpreis)