"One of Ayres' most tranquil compositions is the modest piano solo he wrote as a student for the Indonesian pianist Ananda Sukarlan. The piece may be regarded as a reflection on Javan gamelan music sounding from afar. To achieve this effect, the lid of the piano is closed and the soft pedal used almost throughout. Another source of inspiration is a quartet of paintings by the American Mark Tobey that display expanses of white in various shades. These images are translated to a music that plays off static forces against dynamic ones."

© Saskia Tornqvist