Earning Immunity

for Two Pianos and Chamber Orchestra

Program Note

The coronavirus pandemic was and still is, in many ways, a test of our communal strength locally, regionally, nationally and internationally. We are all facing a common enemy that has altered our everyday lifestyles and in doing so has forced us to work together to find common ground in every aspect of life.

Earning Immunity chronicles this struggle with a visceral narrative outlining the various societal responses to this particular pandemic that I’ve observed and in which I’ve participated. At the onset of the piece we are met with a chaotic fear stemming from a flurry of questions that boil down to a singular inquiry: “am I safe?” Indeed, this question lies at the heart of fear, and the insecurity and confusion surrounding the answer to the question of safety during the pandemic led to bedlam.

Nevertheless, as life lived during a pandemic became normalized, our comfort returned. Doubt that the virus was any threat at all became a prevalent mindset among many. In fact, our plans for the future reflected a sort of hesitant fearlessness.

As our vigilance for safety waned, a wave of illness re-emerged with even more volatility. Chaos, as before, reared its ugly head. Although, this time the communal response was one of newfound wisdom. Moving forward with a machine-like determination, we collectively accepted this new risk as a desire to return to normalcy was the dominant mindset.

Our horrifying acceptance of illness and death was difficult to swallow, but our demand for a societal resurgence was, for better or worse, unstoppable.

This piece was composed for Luciana Soares and the Nicholls State University Monster Piano Concert.