Beata Moon's latest CD is titled Saros. Appropriately enough the title"saros" refers to the moon. It's a cycle of lunar eclipses first mentioned by ancient Babylonian astronomers.
Dakota Born, Indiana Raised
Beata Moon is an American born composer of Korean Descent. She was born in North Dakota, but the family quickly moved to Indiana. "I grew up in Merrillville which is about an hour outside Chicago. My sister and I used to go to Chicago on Saturdays for our piano lessons," says Moon. In fact she debuted with the Indianapolis Symphony. "Yes, when I was younger, way-way-back-when, I performed with the played with them when I was eight."
Saros, A Cycle In A Cycle
Just as saros is a lunar cycle, Moon sees her seven pieces as a sort of cycle as well."A lot of these works were commissioned by performers or in one case a choreographer who I have worked with for many years. I just wanted to make another CD of chamber works. My last disc was all solo piano. So this was a chance for me to put together mostly chamber works that were recently written."
The Apogee
Composers are notoriously unwilling to pick favorites, but Moon hesitantly agreed. "That's a hard question. Well if I were to go with the first piece that popped into my head, it would have to be the cello piece "Tenancy." It was written for a really dear friend and collaborator of mine Henning Rubsam. We met at Juilliard. He's a dancer and a choreographer and I wrote many pieces for his dance company. I thought of the dancers and all the warmth I have for him as I was writing. It was just a way for me to try to express that in the music it. Also, I love the sound of the cello, so I guess from this disc that might be one of my favorites."