Three Tired Tigers Trying to Thrive in the Tricksy Town of T'Vive

Three Tired Tigers Trying to Thrive in the Tricksy Town of T'Vive is a piece inspired by the BookWyrmFest at the West Hartford Public Library, which celebrates adventure, fantasy, gaming, and live music. The piece explores the concept of a musical multiplayer game in a fantasy world, where each player has their own character with their unique emotions and choices. Throughout the piece, each player has the opportunity to make decisions individually within the sections and as a group, shaping the overall structure of the piece. Hence, at certain moments, the players will be completely independent and will encounter each other to decide where to go.

The piece has four levels, which are connected by Portals. Players can jump to different portals simultaneously at the appropriate moment. However, to activate a portal, all players need to play the same one to make sure everyone goes to the same place. Hence, a component of discussion is incorporated into the piece; without previous agreement or talking, players should decide on where to go with their playing. Using their criteria, players can stop playing to listen to the others, consider their choice, or challenge them by proposing a different path. Ideally, players should agree on where to go in no more than 30 seconds so the music can continue.

Pala Garcia (violin), John Popham (cello), and Mika Sasaki (piano) at the 2025 Connecticut Summerfest.