2023

For flute, viola, and harp

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Porthladd is an ode to two harbours, one in my hometown Hong Kong, and one in Cardiff, where the piece is premiered. It responds to the theme of ‘identities’, a theme that strikes a chord with me, as someone who’s frequently pondering dynamics between identities in both of these countries.

Harbours embody contrasting things. The word ‘porthladd’ is comprised of two parts: ‘porth’, meaning gate, portal, and ‘ladd’, which comes from a word that originally meant quiet. A harbour is a gateway to the wider world, the first step in seafaring; but also the first point of arrival, a safe haven from the storms of the sea. Porthladd contrasts and dips in and out of various boxes: harmonic, rhythmic, etc., thus highlighting the inward- and outward-facing aspects of a harbour—also a metaphor for inward and outward faces of one’s identity, as exemplified by a person’s different names.

Written for Trio Anima, for a workshop at the BFE/RMA Research Students’ Conference, Jan 2024.

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