Two of the most exciting aspects of being a composer have become the inspirations for Galaxy Back to You: working within the parameters of each commission and drawing from my personal experiences. The Balourdet Quartet is an ensemble I have admired for years, and it was an absolute delight to finally write for them. All four of them are ecstatic players with so much character and depth, and every performance of theirs has been electric. I wanted to write a piece that showcases their powerful dynamic as a group but also highlights their individuality, with a variety of textures, moods, and energy. Each commission brings interesting, sometimes challenging objectives, and for me, parameters are some of the most fascinating inspirations for my creative process. They help narrow down my ideas, making the process extremely productive and effective.

In 2024, my partner gifted me a “galaxy” named after me for my birthday. It was an unusual but incredibly sweet gift because he thought I deserved a whole galaxy. The galaxy he gave me is NGC 4258, an intermediate spiral galaxy in the constellation Canes Venatici, rich with fascinating characteristics and phenomena. These became the inspiration for seven distinct sections of the piece, each exploring a different musical character and sound world.

I used the galaxy number 4258 as the main thematic idea, focusing on the intervallic relationships of those four numbers. I feel that a string quartet is the most intimate and personal genre for composers. One can truly get a sense of who the composer is through exploring their string quartet repertoire. I believe a string quartet may be the best gift a composer can offer to another (unfortunately, perhaps!). The title, Galaxy Back to You, is quite self-explanatory: I am giving the galaxy back to my special person, but in my own musical form, for his birthday.

The seven sections are:

1. Active Nucleus

2. Celestial Motion

3. Cosmic Dance

4. Mystical Depths

5. Water Masers

6. Supermassive Black Hole

7. Gravitational Waves

– Nicky Sohn

​​

– Nicky Sohn