In 2003 Steve Reich wrote Cello Counterpoint for eight cellos, meant to be performed by a soloist playing along with seven pre-recorded cellos. This innovation of expanding a solo into a large ensemble through pre-recorded layers augments the sonic palette of a single instrument while maintaining the simplicity and personality of a soloist. My work Shimmer, and its lyrical companion Willow's Song seek to build on this innovation bringing to it a broader harmonic, gestural, and dramatic vocabulary.
