sorry, i have to run
for reed quintet (2019), 7’
premiered by Civitasolis Quintet, New York, NY.
“Sorry, I have to run” might be one of the catchphrases of millennials. Many of us exist in a state of constant motion, hustling from one thing to the next while sometimes stuttering to complete mundane tasks. I’m absolutely guilty of this lifestyle, even if often all of the circumstances are great otherwise! sorry, I have to run is inspired by this feeling. Perpetual motion, distraction, anxiety, the shuffle of our own feet and keyboards as a soundtrack.
Structurally, this work is built around a series of chord progressions that are manipulated throughout, just like the motivic material: forward, backward, chopped up, crumpled into the garbage. Maybe we just need to give ourselves a break before we crash? We’ll see at the end of sorry, I have to run!