|
Full Orchestra
String Orchestra
Wind Ensemble
Vocal
Chamber
Solo Instrumental
Clarinet Compositions
Saxophone Compositions
Bassoon Compositions
|
I. Brainrot
II. Authentic
III. Rage Bait
Commissioned by Égide Duo: Stefanie and Joshua Gardner
Every year, certain words emerge from societal noise and exemplify the state of our culture, embodying important trends or movements that define humanity at that given moment in time. A look back at past dictionaries' words of the year is a history lesson in a nutshell. Each movement of this work is inspired by one of the words of the year from 2023 through 2025.
The first movement, Oxford's 2024 word of the year, brain rot, refers to the supposed deterioration of a person's mental state when overconsuming unchallenging and trivial material common to media of the day. The energetic music begins by piecing together a repeated chord progression that spins for a while, gathering steam but not really going anywhere. As time passes, the texture begins to deteriorate. Rhythms become unpredictably stunted and the quality of the notes themselves seem to fall apart with invasive multiphonics, growls, and tongue slaps.
Not all words of the year reflect the negative trends that so frequently take over our collective consciousness. In 2023, Merriam-Webster's word of the year was authentic. As a reaction to the increasing fakeness of AI generated content and because of a renewed focus on personal identity, this word surged in use. The second movement uses multiphonics to create a warm harmonic pad that accompanies a rhapsodic and longing melody. A playful middle section features more back-and-forth between the two instruments before the opening mood returns at the end.
In 2025, Oxford's word of the year was actually a pair of words, rage bait, which stirred up debate as if fulfilling its own meaning. An offshoot of the more general term, clickbait, rage bait images and headlines are designed to incite anger, something extremely prevalent in a society that has been increasingly divided and polarized thanks in large part to social media. Beginning with air sounds, the highly energetic third movement gradually falls apart as it angrily takes on more and more quarter tones, tongue slaps and growls.
Duration: ca. 12'
|
