Composer Joji Yuasa (b. 1929, Koriyama, Japan) was one of the first Japanese composers to work with electronic media, producing notable compositions that utilize a variety of techniques. His music is often concerned with various concepts of synthesis: synthesis of language, synthesis of diverse sonic materials, and synthesis of different cultural models (he has worked extensively in Japan, Europe and the United States, and each of these cultures has had a profound influence on his music). Yuasa has himself noted that his music is rooted in the interplay of two fundamental oppositions: universality and individuality. In his view, music should not only express one's "cosmology,"or experiences, but on some level it should also be understood as a more universal expression. In contrast, Yuasa's notion of individuality is concerned with locality. A composer is naturally affected by the cultural and musical conditions present in the environment in which s/he composes.

Careful examination of "The Sea Darkens" (1987), an electroacoustic work comprised solely of two readings of a Haiku, reveals numerous oppositions working simultaneously on many levels. From sonic and linguistic oppositions contained within the sound of individual word fragments to the overall organization of the work, "The Sea Darkens" is an excellent example of Yuasa's aforementioned penchant for oppositional frameworks. This paper will present a detailed analysis and discussion of this fascinating work.

Kristian Twombly is a composer and theorist specializing in experimental electroacoustic music. His music has been performed by members of the New Dark Age Ensemble, the New Music Ensemble and the Opera Studio at the University of Maryland, and his work "Aeterna" was featured as part of the "Best of 2001" on the Pushing the Envelope series at WHUS in Storrs, CT. His recent work "Untitled Installation" incorporated real-time sound synthesis and processing of ambient sounds in two separate spaces, creating and accentuating sonic environments. Mr. Twombly has lectured at the University of Maryland and at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County.