Saguaros Frozen in the Canyon

Performed by Pedro Baptista

In February 2022, I moved from New Jersey to Tucson, Arizona. Having lived in the north-east my whole life, I was stunned by how enormously still everything can be in the Sonoran Desert. One of the most notable native plants of Arizona is the saguaro cactus. These statuesque, tree-like cacti silently populate Tucson’s rocky landscape.

Layers of Loss

Performed by Steph Bueche

This piece was commissioned and premiered by Steph Bueche in 2022. It is a sonic collage built from the many difficult and multifaceted emotions that encompass grief.

Sea Glass

Performed by DECODA

This performance is from a concert curated by ICEBERG New Music and performed by DECODA members: Catherine Gregory and Mika Sasaki.

Sea Glass was written during a major transformative part of my life. As a way of reflecting on these anxiety-filled changes, I became very interested in the natural process of broken shards of glass slowly being softened by the ocean, until over time, they become sea glass.

Flickering

Performed by Mulholland

“Flickering” has been the word I have frequently been using to describe what gender dysphoria has felt like for me. The piece begins with dark textures, and is a reflection of a time I felt hopeless, stuck and stifled. This eventually moves towards flickering: effervescent and anxiety-driven, but alive and filled with discoveries. The final part is illumination: confident, euphoric, and reminiscent of beams of light.

This piece was written in close collaboration with Amy Zuidema and Nic Mathisen of Mulholland.

To the person inside the bell jar

Performed by Eden Treado

This piece was commissioned and premiered by Eden Treado in 2021. It is dedicated to Sylvia Plath, who is the person inside the bell jar.

Grown

Performed by Becky Turro

Grown was written in 2021. Each movement is dedicated to a different plant that has been present during my childhood in Northern New Jersey.

Starless Night

Performed by Sara Martino, Bridget Knodel, and Becky Turro

Starless Night was composed in 2016 in collaboration with choreographer Sara Martino. It is scored for harp (performed by Bridget Knodel) and piano (performed by Becky Turro).