Floating sweetness

This sinfonietta explores the rare and deeply human experience of being truly understood. The composition reflects an emotional journey between solitude and connection, hesitation and trust, and the gradual emergence of shared resonance. Inspired by the philosophy of Chinese art forms, the work emphasizes balance, space, and subtle interaction, allowing meaning to unfold through evolving relationships between instrumental voices. The orchestration adopts a cross-cultural mindset between Chinese and Western traditions, focusing on breath, gesture, and timbral resonance. Although the work is entirely acoustic, it borrows conceptual ideas from electronic music, treating instruments as flexible sound sources capable of gradual transformation and layered textures. These techniques create an expanded acoustic sound space that encourages attentive and reflective listening. Through quiet textures, delicate motifs, and moments of stillness, the piece experiments with a new listening dimension. Rather than presenting a direct narrative, the music invites listeners to experience understanding as something discovered through resonance and shared sonic space.

Name thesis:degree_name

D.M.A. (Doctor of Musical Arts)

Level thesis:degree_level

Doctoral

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Music Composition (UMKC)

Grantor

University of Missouri--Kansas City

Year dc:date.issued

2026

Author dc:creator

• Ling, Kwan Leung

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Chen, Yi, 1953-

Language dc:language.iso

en_US

Handle dc:identifier.uri

https://hdl.handle.net/10355/112327

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:mospace.umsystem.edu:10355/112327