List of Works

The poem uses each of the 47 sounds of the Japanese syllabary exactly once, combining the qualities of a perfect pangram with the poetic condensation of Buddhist thought. In the ancient mysticism of letters, the elements of a writing system were considered mirrors of the universe — thus, the Iroha can be seen as a "periodic table" of sounds, yet with an inner, transcendent beauty.

This poem is based on the four-verse gāthā found in the Buddhist Nehan-gyō (涅槃経), adapted into classical Japanese verse (imayō) without changing the original meaning. The piece is structured in four movements:

I. Iroha — Although the colors (of the flowers) are fragrant, they still fall away.
II. Waka Yo — What is truly constant in our world?
III. U-I — Surpassing the distant mountains of impermanence,
IV. Yume — There is no longer a shallow dream, nor any lingering intoxication.

Additionally, the first seven syllables (i, ro, ha, ni, ho, he, to) correspond to the German pitches A, H, C, D, E, F, G.

When I think of the human voice, a vivid memory comes to mind. In my childhood, I often heard the recitation of Buddhist sutras — performed not only by priests, but also by elderly women from the neighborhood, who gathered in groups to chant together. When they sang, there were always subtle differences in tempo and intonation, and each voice could be heard individually. In this way, a "spectrum" of communal singing emerged, composed of many distinct voices. The recitation of a sutra is a form of prayer — and I understood early on that praying and singing share a common root.

(March 2026, Cologne — Malika Kishino)

Verlorene Farben sets a text by Julian Prégardien, inspired by a scene from Haruki Murakami, structured in three movements:

I. ans weiße Licht
II. Kawatta (Veränderung / Change)
III. im Spiegel

Atme die Erinnerung ans weiße Licht, die Farben, die dich einst umgaben.
Blicke tief in deine Jugend, umarme die Veränderung.
Du siehst in deiner Augen Schein, an deines Haares Länge nicht die Zeit.
Wer ist es, den du siehst im Spiegel, mit dir gemeinsam einsam?

(Text by Julian Prégardien)

Iki, Kioku, Iro, Shiro, Shiroi Heikari E
Kawatta, Kaotsuki mo Kawatta
Nakatta, Shonen no Kao wa Nakatta
Dare? Kimi wa dare?
Kagami no naka
Kodoku, Kodoku o Wakatsu
Kimi wa dare?

(Japanese text adapted and translated by the composer)

L'imagination est un arbre. Elle a les vertus intégrantes de l'arbre. Elle est racine et ramure. Elle vit entre terre et ciel. Elle vit dans la terre et dans le vent. L'arbre imaginé est insensiblement l'arbre cosmologique, l'arbre qui résume un univers, qui fait un univers.

(Gaston Bachelard)

Imagination is a tree. It has the integrative virtues of a tree. It is root and boughs. It lives between earth and sky. It lives in the earth and the wind. The imagined tree imperceptibly becomes a cosmic tree, the tree which epitomises a universe, which makes a universe.

(Gaston Bachelard, translated by the composer)

Cello vibrato is a deeply personal means of expression, reflecting the individuality of each performer. Its range is remarkably wide — spanning from fierce, turbulent motion like rough ocean waves to quiet, delicate motion like gentle ripples. In this work, these diverse vibratos themselves serve as the primary material from which the music is built.

I have long been fascinated by Japanese gardens and their methods of construction. Inspired by the aesthetic of expressing the gardener's inner world through a minimal selection of elements — such as gravel, stones, and plants — Waves of Gravel draws particular inspiration from the waves formed in raked gravel, and from their distinctive texture.

The coarse and fine waves traced in raked gravel, suggesting rivers and the ocean, mirror the many varieties of vibrato. These patterns are not realistic depictions of nature, but rather expressions of life's turbulence and calm, and of the passage of time itself.

Through vibrato that is at times fierce, at times profound, and at times tender, I hope each performer will express their own richly personal reservoir of waves, flow, and sea.

(23 April 2026, Cologne — Malika Kishino)