Music by Anthony L. Sanchez (b. 1988)
Copyright © 2025 by ZEKE SPILLED INK MUSIC (ASCAP), Savannah, GA
Static image created by the composer
MuseScore Studio 4 VST playback
Score available on Patreon
Performance Notes:
Slices of Pi functions as a series of variations for solo piano based on the musical spelling for part of the mathematical constant and irrational number Pi (π): 3.1415926535. Pi serves as the ratio of the circumference of a circle to its diameter. I wrote this piece in preparation for Pi Day (March 14, or 3.14) this year. In composing this work, I sought to apply musicality to mathematics by interpreting the number three and the first ten digits (decimals) in Pi as pitch classes, where each number from 0 to 11 represents a musical tone in terms of chromaticism. I also chose to concentrate on a fragment, or “slice,” of Pi—pun intended—because the total number of digits for Pi technically does not end. While I did create an electronic piece using the first one hundred digits of Pi (Improvisation in Pi from 2023), Slices of Pi represents my acoustic approach to interpreting the irrational number. Regarding the set that comprises the “Theme” for Pi, I musically translate the group of numbers as follows:
(Eb, Db, En, Db, Fn, An, Dn, Gb, Fn, Eb, Fn)
I also wrote the set with enharmonic equivalence in mind, meaning that flat and sharp notes are the same pitch class regardless of their musical spellings. I must add, however, that Slices of Pi is not a serialist piece the strict sense of that type of composition. The layout for the first ten digits in Pi clearly indicates that the digits within the irrational number can repeat, such as in the appearances of 3, 1, and 5 in the set. Creating a tone matrix to determine the multiple musical possibilities for the set also does not prove necessary. The thirteen variations that comprise Slices of Pi all feature the musical spellings for the segment of the irrational number in some way, including instances where I spell Pi in reverse order or repeat a variation several times so as to give the effect of going in circles. The piece can be used as educational material for Music Theory to help students and performers locate the musical spellings of Pi in the score.
Copyright © 2025 by ZEKE SPILLED INK MUSIC (ASCAP), Savannah, GA
Static image created by the composer
MuseScore Studio 4 VST playback
Score available on Patreon
Performance Notes:
Slices of Pi functions as a series of variations for solo piano based on the musical spelling for part of the mathematical constant and irrational number Pi (π): 3.1415926535. Pi serves as the ratio of the circumference of a circle to its diameter. I wrote this piece in preparation for Pi Day (March 14, or 3.14) this year. In composing this work, I sought to apply musicality to mathematics by interpreting the number three and the first ten digits (decimals) in Pi as pitch classes, where each number from 0 to 11 represents a musical tone in terms of chromaticism. I also chose to concentrate on a fragment, or “slice,” of Pi—pun intended—because the total number of digits for Pi technically does not end. While I did create an electronic piece using the first one hundred digits of Pi (Improvisation in Pi from 2023), Slices of Pi represents my acoustic approach to interpreting the irrational number. Regarding the set that comprises the “Theme” for Pi, I musically translate the group of numbers as follows:
(Eb, Db, En, Db, Fn, An, Dn, Gb, Fn, Eb, Fn)
I also wrote the set with enharmonic equivalence in mind, meaning that flat and sharp notes are the same pitch class regardless of their musical spellings. I must add, however, that Slices of Pi is not a serialist piece the strict sense of that type of composition. The layout for the first ten digits in Pi clearly indicates that the digits within the irrational number can repeat, such as in the appearances of 3, 1, and 5 in the set. Creating a tone matrix to determine the multiple musical possibilities for the set also does not prove necessary. The thirteen variations that comprise Slices of Pi all feature the musical spellings for the segment of the irrational number in some way, including instances where I spell Pi in reverse order or repeat a variation several times so as to give the effect of going in circles. The piece can be used as educational material for Music Theory to help students and performers locate the musical spellings of Pi in the score.
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