Kohola by David Jarvis

Kohola (Hawaiian for humpback whale), written for oboe and percussion quartet, was inspired from the songs of humpback whales. The compositional melodic and harmonic material was derived from the actual audio frequencies of a whale recorded off the coast of Maui in February of 2009. The work begins slowly and freely with ocean drums and the oboe stating the main theme in F Lydian. The theme is repeated in a steady tempo with the marimba and vibes providing the harmonic support. The middle of the work is fast and rhythmic making use of traditional instruments of the Pacific Islands, particularly the Hawaiian Ipu and the Tahitian Toere. The melodic lines of the oboe are realized from the frequencies taken from a middle portion of the audio whale song. The piece returns to the opening theme and ends calmly with the audio recording of the humpback whale mixed in with the harmonic fabric. The work is dedicated to Dr. James Darling and the Whale Quest Foundation of Kapalua, Hawaii. Kohola was premiered on February 4, 2010 at the Festival of Contemporary Art Music on the Washington State University campus.