what was
for solo vibraphone and electronics | 2021
“what was,” performed by Garrett Davis, April 2023
Instrumentation and Equipment
Vibraphone, preferably 3.5-octave (C3 to F6)
A computer with Ableton Live
An audio interface with at least 3 outputs (1 stereo pair, 1 monitor channel)
2 main speakers (possibly the venue’s house speakers)
1 in-ear monitor
Duration
4 minutes, 30 seconds
Program Notes
I wrote what was during a portion of my life that I knew would be unlike any other. The piece was
born of voice memos recorded during these months, and it will therefore always be deeply personal to me. At
the same time, I hope what was can speak to something we all experience: that fruitless desire to hold the
wonder and spontaneity of a moment just a little longer; that frustrating awareness that memory and
recordings will only ever be a shadow of their subjects; and that final appreciation for what is and the
beauty with which the present flows through us.
The original version of this piece was written for chamber ensemble and electronics in the first months of
2020. This version was arranged in the fall of 2021 as part of my senior composition recital, all at once.