Cajón! makes use of sound recordings of the percussion instrument of the same title. Due to the top edges of the front panel being unfixed this box-like percussion instrument produces a rich variety of sounds. This piece is structured in three sections exploring rhythmic material and the timbre of the cajón. A clapping technique known as palmas in flamenco music is used alongside the cajón sound material to set up contrasting rhythmic patterns. In addition to these sounds, glitch and noise-based materials provide a backdrop to the activity of the gestural events.

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Cajón! was realized in 2008 at the Laboratório Electroacústico de Criação (Lab for Electroacoustic Creation, LEC) of Miso Music Portugal in Lisbon (Portugal) and premiered on September 23, 2008 during the Música Viva 2008 festival in Lisbon (Portugal). The piece was commissioned by Miso Music (Portugal). Thanks to Kevin Sharyk for providing the cajón material and to Miguel Azguime, and Paula Azguime. Cajón! was awarded the 3rd prize at the Centre for Computational Musicology and Computer Music (Limerick, Ireland, 2008) and received an Honorable Mention at the Premio Internacional de Composición Electroacústica Visiones Sonoras (organized by the Centro Mexicano para la Música y Artes Sonoras (CMMAS), Morelia, Mexico, 2008).

Premiere

• September 23, 2008, Música Viva 2008: Orquestra de Altifalantes I, Centro Cultural de Belém – Pequeno Auditório, Lisbon (Portugal)

Awards

• Honorable Mention, Visiones Sonoras International Electroacoustic Composition Prize 2008, Morelia (Mexico)