Written during the pandemic of 2020, Bend the slats apart and look through was conceived as a recording project rather than a live piece. The role of a pianist as hybridized with an audio engineer, and the ensemble as a meta-instrument played by the keyboardist-engineer. To play the ensemble, (or mix the recording, depending on your preferred metaphor), the sustain pedal turns on and off amplification from close mics, while the keys amplify narrow frequency bands tuned to the pitch of each key. The changing amplification creates a dynamic listening perspective, cutting between brittle intimacy, soft distance, and harmonies filtered from noise and overtones.