Exploring sound is central to my work.

 

My path to a career in composition began with a focus on drums and percussion. I was heavily influenced by the sounds of my youth—from the mixtapes my Filipina mother played, to the cacophony of Tokyo street life and the gentle rhythms of the Philippine countryside.

 

What others may consider noise—the hum of a crowd, birds chirping, the patter of the rain—to me is as musical as symphonies or sonatas. Much of my work revolves around bringing sounds to life, developing what I hear around me into music.

 

To me, composed works are like buildings that house our emotions, while sound reflects the natural world. 

 

I consider myself an explorer of sounds.