Though the term noise describes a wide variety of sonic terrains, my interest is with what might best be described as disrupted resonance and distortion. The piece is made up of three basic material types, the most significant of which is the opening sound bed. This is expressed in the strings through various types of overpressure, on the clarinet with multiphonics, and in the percussion as grinding wood against metal. Though each of these techniques results in a certain level of unpredictability, the actions undertaken by the performers are highly prescribed. The second material type involves the contrapuntal use of pitch, and the third, percussive effects distributed across the various instruments. Each of these material types has its own developmental trajectory. It is these trajectories, along with the interaction between the material types, which guides the piece through its various distinct and cyclical sections.

Wood Machine Music is dedicated to the Callithumpian Consort.