Arias: The Inefficiencies That Feed Us
Expected to ship in 1-2 weeks.
- Composer: Spencer Arias (1990-)
- Instrumentation: Percussion
- Work: The Inefficiencies That Feed Us (2023)
- ISMN:
- Size: 8.7 x 12.0 inches
- Pages: 7
Description
the inefficiencies that feed us, Spencer Arias (2023) for solo percussion
The creation of this work would not be possible without the important contributions of Berkley J. Walker. It is crucial that the science is highlighted, by vocalizing the scientist note aloud to the audience so that they can learn about the research the music was inspired by.
**Scientist Note ** Farm to plate is all the rage today, people wanting to follow their food from where it was grown, to their tabletOp. We want this to ensure that it has been processed according to our values but also a fascination with the process itself. But what about going further back from the farm, to the real source of our food on the planet earth to the sun itself? My research focuses on following this energetic journey from the sun to our plate and understanding where energy is lost and how this journey will be impacted by a changing planet. Understanding this journey may hold the key to capturing more energy from the sun and more sustainably producing food and fuel for a growing planet. We call this journey "photosynthesis". Photosynthesis is the catch-all term for the reactions in plants that harvest energy from the sun and change carbon dioxide molecules in the air into sugars. These sugars are not just the sweet kind but form the building blocks of the vast Majority of life on this planet.
So how much of all the energy that comes from the sun actually ends up in the food we eat? It turns out the journey from photon to plate is not as efficient as you might think. Photosynthesis in crops has only a total ~1% conversion efficiency of solar energy. This one percent powers practically all life on this planet and gives us the air we breath, the food we eat, the clothes we wear and a growing amount of the energy we consume. So what are we finding out about these inefficiencies of photosynthesis? My lab studies a particular inefficiency called "Photorespiration". This inefficiency stems from the fact that carbon dioxide and oxygen, are actually quite the same shape. They are so similar that the first step of photosynthesis that grabs a carbon dioxide has trouble telling them apart and about 1 time out of 5, grabs an oxygen instead of a carbon dioxide. When it grabs an oxygen the result is a sugar molecule that is of no use to the plant, and must be recycled. This recycling is expensive, using about 148 trillion Calories of energy in just the Midwest, this is enough calories that if you converted these to donut equivalents, you would have enough donuts to stack to the moon and back over 20 times.
Work in our lab is revealing that this inefficiency is more than it first seems. We look at photorespiration to understand how it is integrated with everything else the plant does to stay alive. We are finding that this apparent inefficiency in terms of energy, may also have great benefit in other aspects. Instead of simply being a recycling pathway, it is an "up-cycling" pathway that may help make the protein and vitamins in plants that are so important for human nutrition. -Berkley J. Walker, Ph.D Molecular Plant Sciences, Associate Professor of Plant Biology at Michigan State University
**Program Note ** The inefficiencies that feed us was written in collaboration with Plant Scientist Berkley Walker about his research on Photosynthesis. The work uses a gestural representation of the process of a photon moving from the sun to a plant to the plate of the food we eat. The science is at the center of the work.
Publishers use a lot of words to describe what they sell, and we know it can be confusing. We've tried to be as clear as possible to make sure you get exactly what you are looking for. Below are descriptions of the terms that we use to describe the various formats that music often comes in.
Choral Score
A score for vocalists that only contains the vocal lines. The instrumental parts are not there for reference. Generally, cheaper than a vocal score and requires multiple copies for purchase.
Facsimile
Reproductions of the original hand-written scores from the composer.
Full Score
For ensemble music, this indicates that the edition contains all parts on a single system (there are not separate parts for each player). In larger ensembles, this is for the conductor.
Hardcover
Hardbound. Generally either linen-covered or half-leather.
Orchestral Parts
Similar to a wind set, this is a collection of parts. In the case of strings, the numbers listed are the number of copies included, though generally these are available individually (often with minimum quantities required).
Paperback
When publishers offer multiple bindings (e.g. hardcover) or study scores, this is the "standard" version. If you're planning to play the music, this is probably what you want.
Performance / Playing Score
A score of the music containing all parts on one system, intended for players to share. There are not separate parts for each player.
Set of Parts
For ensemble music, this indicates that there are separate individual parts for each player.
Solo Part with Piano Reduction
For solo pieces with orchestra, this is a version that contains a piano reduction of the orchestra parts. For piano pieces, two copies are typically needed for performance.
Study Score
A small (think choral size) copy of the complete score meant for studying, and not playing. They make great add-ons when learning concertos and small chamber works.
Vocal Score
A score prepared for vocalists that includes the piano/organ part or a reduction of the instrumental parts.
Wind Set
For orchestral music, this is a collection of wind and percussion parts. The specific quantities of each instrument are notated.
With Audio
In addition to the printed music, the edition contains recordings of the pieces. This may be an included CD, or access to files on the internet.
With / Without Fingering (Markings)
Some publishers prepare two copies - a pure Urtext edition that includes no fingering (or bowing) suggestions and a lightly edited version that includes a minimal number of editorial markings.
Arias: The Inefficiencies That Feed Us
