Misato Mochizuki (*1969)
Brains, for string quartet (2016–20/24)
Quatuor Diotima
World Première of the complete cycle, 18 January 2025, Ultraschall Berlin '25
The cycle Brains for string quartet reflects my interest in brain mechanisms and their relationship to behavior and the mind. The cycle consists of five pieces, played enchained or independently.
Brains (2017) is inspired by the spontaneity of the brain and its learning system.
More than 90% of energy used by the brain is consumed in spontaneous activity. By this spontaneity, the brain learns on its own without instructions, rewriting and even fabricating knowledge and memories. ›Creative‹ or ›mimetic‹ learning (where we learn through imitating the actions and behaviors of others), is brought about by mirror neurons, which train our social skills and even shape our identities.
In the beginning of the piece, the second violin presents a motif as a ›pattern of spontaneous brain activity‹. The first violin and viola imitate and change it, effectively ›rewriting memory‹, according to their own aptitudes (register and tempo). By contrast, the cello, whose mirror neurons function differently to the other instruments, joins in while developing its own unique patterns, bringing about further changes and adding richness to the music.
The piece was commissioned by Radio France for Quatuor Diotima and somewhat reflects how the members at the time were like.
Photo by rbb / Claudius Pflug
Official Composer Website
http://www.misato-mochizuki.com
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