PROGRAM NOTES:
 

"Listen" is inspired by the Black Lives Matter Protests. I was inspired after my own participation in peaceful protests in the Spring of 2020 after the death of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbrary, and many others. Roughly 10 minutes in length, the piece is formed in 4 distinct sections. The introduction includes a nod to the past with featured voice bits of the Civil Rights era in the 1960s all collaged together. A reminder that the remnants of racial aggressions experienced in the United States today is not a new occurrence. The piece then moves to the present-day where the 3 remaining sections are based around 3 popularly used chants in the protests I participated in: “No Justice, No Peace”, “I Can’t Breathe”, and “Hands Up, Don’t Shoot”. Throughout the piece you can find musical influences from gospel spirituals, jazz, and hip pop.