Instrumentation
Sinfonietta (1.1.1.1/1.1.1.0./1/hp/strings; off-stage playing required)
Duration
13 minutes
Year Composed
2023
Winner of 2025 BMI Classical “Ellen Taaffe Zwilich Award For Most Outstanding Score.”
Silent Theater was composed in response to a traumatic crime that occurred in Bloomington, IN in 2023. The incident deeply affected both me and the Bloomington community, leaving emotions I struggled to express in words. Creating this piece became my way of processing and giving form to what felt unspeakable.
Given the current political climate, I am choosing not to publicly detail the incident.
The title Silent Theater carries a double meaning. It nods to the genre that inspired the work—being Opera—but also refers to the act of witness itself. In the end, the stage transforms into a "silent theater," as all performers join in an outcry of anguish and plea for help.