Scenes from interior life (2024)
Chamber Orchestra - 1(1=picc).1.1.1—1.1.1.1.—3perc.—hp–pno—strings
Commissioned by ARTZENTER for the San Francisco Contemporary Music Players. Premiered September 12, 2024 at Herbst Theatre.
Recording
Program note
Scenes from Interior Life is based on thematic material from a chamber opera of mine titled Interior Life. The opera itself explores humanity through the lens of IKEA, and captures the whole cycle of life within an IKEA over the course of a single day. A baby is born in a model bedroom. A couple realizes their irreconcilable differences (in the form of chair preferences), and confronts a romantic rift that cannot be bridged. New love blossoms. A ballet of giant dancing teddy bears ensues. The first movement, “It Should Be A”, is based on motivic material from the scene in which the main male character (aptly named Man) describes his ideal chair. The second movement, “Reveries,” is based on delusional outbursts from Man, and more eclectic in form and scrambles, then makes sense of a smattering of leitmotifs.