Hxo for Solo flute by Sungji Hong
Dedication: To Elizabeth McNutt
Duration: 5:00
Extended techniques used: timbral trills; molto vibrato; harmonic multiphonics; harmonic trills, mixed pitch-air sounds
Hxó is a Greek word meaning ‘echo,’ a reflection of sound after the direct sound. In this piece, the flute explores echo in various ways. The main idea is based on a short staccato attack followed by a quiet fluctuation of timbral trills. The first few measures depict a sound recording I captured of my son screaming playfully in a huge underground parking lot with a beautiful echo effect. The echo of the scream was reflected three times. — Sungji Hong
It was commissioned by the Texas Flute Society for the 34th Myrna Brown Artist Competition. Hxó for solo flute was completed in March 2020 in Denton, Texas. It was first performed on 23 May 2020, during the Annual Texas Flute Festival by the four finalists, Hyunjee Lee, Denis Savelyev, Grace Wang, and Yi Xiang.
