Commissioned by Carnegie Hall
World Premiere: March 18, 2024, Resnick Education Wing, Ensemble Connect Up Close

Performed by Mika Sasaki (Piano), Joseph Jordan (Oboe), Isabella Bignasca (Viola), Thapelo Masita (Cello)

Duration: approx. 7:30 min

INSOMNI/BLACK

Final Project in Instrumentation and Orchestration
Re-scoring of the Disney short film “Hair Love”

For Piccolo, Flute, Oboe, English Horn, Clarinet in Bb, Bass Clarinet, Bassoon, Contrabassoon, Horns, Trumpets, Trombones, Tuba, Chimes, Xylophone, Percussion, Harp, Piano, Violin, Viola, Cello, Bass

"I'm struggling to simmer down, maybe I'm an insomni-black" -Noname, "Blaxploitation"

insomni/black on its surface is about sleep and insomnia, but it is also about the things that keep us up at night, the conflict between being “woke” and being rested, and the many ways we straddle divided worlds -- both including and beyond those of “dream” and “awake.” The title “insomni/black,” inspired by rapper Noname, reconfigures the word “insomniac” to direct the attention both to larger issues of systemic inequality and to the visual image of blackness conjured by closing one’s eyes in an attempt to fall asleep.

insomni/black explores the rise and fall of a sleepless night, a journey that weaves through shifting states of consciousness and unconsciousness. As the piece moves from section to section, it tracks the story of falling into a dream world, staying asleep, and then fighting to wake back up. Primary musical motives evolve as conflict increases and dissipates, and their unsettlement over the piece’s duration represents the transformation of the protagonist over the course of the night.

Performed by Jennifer Beattie (Mezzo-Soprano), Zachary Pulse (Oboe), and Makana Medeiros (Vibraphone)

Duration: approx. 3:00 min