Premiere: Musiqa, Midtown Arts and Theater Center Houston, Houston TX, September 28, 2024

 

Duration:  ca. 10'10"

 

Program Note:

 

Subpar Parks is a series of miniatures loosely inspired by Amber Share’s poster art featuring negative reviews of the American National Parks. There are seven movements, each based on a negative review from Yelp, Google, and other online platforms. In each movement, I depict the comedic character of each review and at times blend in and contrast my own personal experiences with the beauty of these parks. The piece reflects humanity’s ability to be bored by even the most magnificent sights but encourages the listener to go deeper and find unexpected beauty in the seemingly mundane. The piece was commissioned by the Houston-based contemporary music group Musiqa for their 2024-2025 season.