Façade (2022)

for septet (clarinet, bassoon, horn, violin, viola, cello, contrabass)

Duration: 12'

Premiere: TBD

Commissioned by Joseph Johnson, with support from the Ontario Arts Council

Programme Note:

This piece took its initial inspiration from a quote in James Baldwin’s The Fire Next Time…

“Love takes off the masks that we fear we cannot live without and know we cannot live within”. 

While the context of this line was originally relating to American racial tensions in the 1960s, I found myself also drawing connections to how universal this sentiment is – specifically, expressions of identity and authenticity within the queer community. In its simplest form, this piece is an observation of what we choose to show of ourselves to the world, and what we sometimes feel must hide. It explores the toll this takes on oneself, as well as the liberation felt when not only are we accepted by our communities, but also reach a point where we can truly accept ourselves.

- Recording available upon request -