Where Water Keeps Time

Musical reflections on water and the art of Janis Goodman

I’m Luca Robadey, a composer based in San Francisco, and I’m incredibly excited to share the following three works in honor of Janis Goodman’s exhibit, Where Water Keeps Time. Each of these pieces deal with musical depictions of water and shorelines.

converge

for 12 brass instruments (2023)

Converge was conceived as a musical simulation of a churning ocean. The piece begins with a glassy surface, tiny waves that gradually begin to overlap until they combine into a massive, churning texture representative of a storm ocean.

incoming tide

for electronics (2026)

Composed in honor of Janis’s exhibit, Incoming Tide is directly inspired by her drawing of the same name. In this piece, I electronically processed samples of a piano, harp, and marimba to create a musical representation of a slowly rising tide on a shoreline.

the depth of the horizon

for string trio and clarinet (2025)

The Depth of The Horizon was inspired by Mark Island, which can be found in Penobscot Bay near Deer Isle, ME. The island has a foghorn which blares approximately every 12 seconds. While visiting the island, I was struck by the juxtaposition between the nature surrounding me and the presence of this man-made interruption. This piece explores humanity’s relationship with nature—both the symbiotic and parasitic aspects.

Thank you for listening.