PROGRAM NOTE

Times of change are not always easy to go through in life. Maybe you have become comfortable with the way things are or, perhaps, you are so scared of change that just thinking about it gives you anxiety, but not all change is bad change. If we take a moment to observe the natural occurrences that take place around us every day – sunrises and sunsets, tides coming in and going out, the transformation of winter to spring – we can begin to see that change is a necessary part of growing and developing into who we. However, these moments in your life are not always easy ones.

Anew explores the journey of someone experiencing a moment of great change in their life. What sort of emotions are they feeling? What thoughts are going through their head? As someone who has gone through a big shift in my career path, I wanted to compose a piece to help me process my emotions and organize the thoughts in my head on why I felt this change needed to happen. Having the motto of “words fail music speaks,” I was inspired as a composer by way of ostinato rhythms, melodic extension, and juxtaposed musical styles to help unpack what words simply could not quantify. 

- program note by Jonathan P. Kochik