Premiere

Hypotenuse Trio – May 8, 2021 

Program Note

              Captured is my reflection on a world in which our social interactions are increasingly occurring online, moving our sense of reality away from in-person relationships to virtual connection. While there are some benefits to this, this piece contemplates the more damaging and harmful results this shift has caused. We seek validation through likes, views, and subscribers. We share deeply personal matters with strangers rather than be vulnerable with our closest family and friends. We feel we must speak out online on anything from political views to life events for them to count. Perhaps most worrisome, we increasingly hear only voices that agree with us, leading to polarization, misinformation, and violence. By design, most users cannot escape this pull, leaving us captured and captivated by online platforms, often unaware. Months of physical isolation through the pandemic have only exacerbated these tendencies. Captured reflects the concern, frustration, and helplessness I feel as I watch this situation unfold.

              Captured was commissioned by the Hypotenuse Trio as a winner of their 2020 Call for Scores.