balance piece (2018)

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balance piece challenges traditional notions of virtuosity, pointing towards one that extends beyond speed, precision, and control. Interested in gradual variations and the unpredictability of unstable sounds, the piece asks the performer to subtly vary the amount of pressure applied in the left hand, making the instrument alternate between pure tones and harmonics or, at certain moments, achieving both notes simultaneously.

For this recording, Nina performs on a flax-fiber cello by Tim Duerinck, whose responsiveness amplifies the piece’s delicately volatile character.

balance piece is the first single from Belgian cellist Nina Vanhoenacker’s debut album, An unbalanced piece of wood, being released on Protomaterial Records on February 27, 2026.

​Commissioned and premiered by Zack Reaves
March 8, 2020