Tipping Point

for sinfonietta
ca. 4’ 15”

Tipping Point (2021), written for sinfonietta, is about how political oppression and senseless, violent brutality can turn society's bubbling frustrations towards injustice into unbridled anger and chaos. It is inspired by the response to the protests in my hometown, Hong Kong, and the police brutality that happened in the many protests calling for racial equality in the United States where I am currently residing. The progression from measured, controlled frustration to wild rage also mirrors how I often feel when I see people getting betrayed and attacked by the very structures and powers that were meant to protect them. This is reflected in the music through the gradual transition from metered, written, and tightly rhythmic music to a completely improvised, aleatoric cacophony.

Tipping Point was written for Alarm Will Sound for their William Bolcom Residency at the University of Michigan - Ann Arbor.

Performances:

18 Apr 2021 (reading/recording session)
Reading Session with Alarm Will Sound; University of Michigan — Ann Arbor William Bolcom Residency
Alarm Will Sound; Alan Pierson, music director

16 Apr 2021 (reading/recording session)
Reading Session with Alarm Will Sound; University of Michigan — Ann Arbor William Bolcom Residency
Alarm Will Sound; Alan Pierson, music director