…you have been warned (2018)

for Voice and Cello

You have been warned considers our own personal search for relevance, the competitive processes we subconsciously engage with on a daily basis in search for something greater than ourselves (and more often than not, not finding it). Material is derived from specifically delineated artifacts of pop culture and digital communication including performers’ emails, Instagram feeds, and personal research; as such the piece changes each time it is performed. The structure, which is fixed, oscillates between stasis and frantically embedded games, pushing the performers to compete and collaborate in making ephemeral residue. An evocatively wonky setup conceit of balloons evokes the aftermath of a child’s birthday party, reinforcing the whimsy and joy essential to the piece that allow space for self-care and fun in its process and presentation in an increasingly frightening world.

SCORE EXCERPT

The piece was commissioned by JUXTATONAL, and will be premiered in late 2019.