Respecting the First (Amendment)

Given the increased attacks on the first amendment, I was especially pleased with the commission from Barbara Day Turner, the intrepid conductor of the San Jose Chamber Orchestra, for a new piece for string orchestra and electronics inspired by this topic, which I first broached in a composition for the Cassatt String Quartet.  When the COVID pandemic caused the cancellation of the premiere, the orchestra created a virtual recording and I worked with animator/designer Jonah Tobias to create a video to partner with it. The five freedoms guaranteed by this amendment are as crucial as ever, though questions as to its limits continue to arise.  You can listen here. For more information, visit the composition page.