"The piece is part of a series of Codex pieces, the first is Codex Praxis, Vivre is the second, and Codex Symphonia is the third. Each of these pieces contains a loose narrative arch and I think about them as books in a way, and they all each take this idea in a different fashion. Codex Praxis is put together based on an amalgamation of liturgical drama, and bestiaries having been commissioned for a gallery opening of medieval illuminated manuscripts. Symphonia contains references to external musical works and is more autobiographical. Vivere was written through the lens of modern literature in which the “story” of the piece comes in two movements “II: First Part” and “VIII: Second Part.” However, the story is played out with an introduction, a very long series of diversions, and a somewhat fleeting apology at the end. Additionally, the Codex series demonstrates an instance of “nested” series: each Codex work contains a movement that is a part of the Grid Series, for example.

I'm interested in exploring modes of creating. When writing a piece down or making something that uses a score, one of the most obvious of these modes is the notation. On the one hand, this is a tool for communication, but I think this is a rather unfortunate and often fetishized feature that too often turns the work into a noun or just a document. In many ways, I think this distracts from the point of music is; music is a verb, it’s a thing that is done. The notation is a means of accessing that thing, but we are given a choice to treat it as a mathematical formula, or an invitation to participate. I would much rather ask you to come with me and join me in the adventure of the music than always tell you what to do.

Here, we are beginning to ask questions on the nature of creation. How does one develop a technique that balances my selfish interests of aesthetic taste, and the desire to do a thing together? This isn’t a particularly unique question, and in many ways, the only answer to explore and to try and to fail and to adapt. Vivre uses several notational strategies (some movements are more explicate some more implicate), and each movement is an investigation into these different ways of navigating musical ideas and material through the lens of my aesthetic/formal interests and taste. But these are all verbs- points of action, a participatory way of life. This piece is at least a nudge to try; to find some beauty in the act of doing, and it is my hope that this piece, something as book or a story with characters, and scenes, and diversions, and digressions, may be a beautiful act itself." - Kory Reeder