Krishan Rai
Krishan Rai (b. 2004) is a composer based in New York City. He is currently pursuing a bachelor’s degree in music at Columbia University, and studies with Amy Beth Kirsten at the Juilliard School. He’s worked with ensembles such as Triple Helix and the Bergamot Quartet, was selected as a festival composer at the MATA Jr. Festival, and received honors from the Associazione Culturale Ex Novo. His past mentors include Sato Matsui, James Bergin, Justin Casinghino, and Martin Amlin.
Wingbeats
Composed December 2023 – Violin, Cello, Percussion, Piano
From the composer: “In writing Wingbeats, the idea of how a sound, like that of beating wings, can emerge out of nothing and with each repetition gain strength was beautiful to me. It inspired me to write a piece that starts from fragility and ultimately becomes a raucous celebration of life.
Wingbeats is significant in my output because it is the first time I worked with a cross-genre ensemble, Warp Trio, that is very comfortable with improvisation. Through workshopping with the performers, we developed improvisatory elements that truly uplift the story of Wingbeats. Writing Wingbeats in that collaborative style was a personally and artistically significant moment for me, and that’s why I chose the piece as my submission.“