Camp 14

Camp 14 is inspired by Shin Dong-Hyuk, a man born in one of North Korea's gulags and one of only a handful to have escaped and been able to tell his tale. The gulag in question is called Kaechon Internment Camp, a.k.a. Camp 14. This piece presents moods and atmospheres that are founded in my own reaction to his stories of brutality and his own personal psychology, developed as a result of growing up in such an environment, which differs greatly from the average person's.

The piece focusses on creating a variety of sonorities derived from a small amount of material. Important compositional features include: emphasis on specific intervals as a structural device, harmonic use of the 24-note microtonal chromatic scale and symmetry.

Live video recording of the premiere of my string quartet, 'Camp 14', at the Chimera Ensemble's concert on 21st November 2014 in the Sir Jack Lyons Concert Hall, University of York.

Players:

Charis Sykesud - Violin 1
Fabio Sarlo - Violin 2
Sarah Goulding - Viola
Lois Chapman - Cello