The main focus of this piece for me was how to create an illusion to make the sound of cello to be part of the female voices, and how the female voice can sound like a part of an imaginary cello-section which can “speak” with the text.
The cello swims in and out of the texture sung by female singers, sometimes they move together, sometimes they move separately like the little waves on the sea.
This is another vocal work deeply collaborated with poet Harry Ross, whom we have made so many works together for over 20 years.
Here is what Harry Ross says on this piece:
I interpreted the theme of the work from a graphic sketch of some wiggly lines which Dai showed me, saying - it's going to sound like this, can you write a text like that.
I thought immediately it should be about Narwhals, not only because of the sketch Dai made, but also because his daughter Mina asked why I don't write pieces about unicorns. So, here you go Mina, it's a piece about sea unicorns. My partner Helen likes sea unicorns too.
Fun Fact: Scientist have recently discovered that the tusk of the narwhal is full of sensory cells. When narwhals meet they rub tusks in order to ascertain information about the water quality and available feed.
Dai Fujikura＋Harry Ross