I am pleased to announce that I have been commissioned by Megan Lanz and Cayla Bellamy to compose a 3-movement work for flute-bassoon duo on the theme of mental health. This yet-entitled work is inspired by the cathartic journey of acknowledging the traumatic occurrences in your past. Only through this process of acknowledgement can we move forward into a future of positive fulfillment.
Each of the movements captures the different stages of that journey:
1. Control: the manic state of feeling compelled to make everything right and have everything properly in place. Many of these everyday actions could be interpreted as superfluous or even compulsive. This constant need to control everything and being in an overwhelmed state is really a masking technique from dealing with “bigger” issues that are impeding personal growth.
2. Trust: when one finally comes to the resolution that something is not right and they require help to better their life. Who can they trust to help…a colleague, family member, friend? Do they have faith that that person will be sympathetic and guide them in the right direction? What if they feel like they have no one that they can trust?
3. Enough: one questions whether or not they are enough. Are they good enough at their various life roles? Do they have enough? Do they give enough? Through exploration, one realizes that these questions are irrelevant since we are always enough with whatever skills and traits we possess.
The idea for this work was born out of my conversations with Megan and Cayla exploring our own individual efforts to attain a higher state of coherence and balance, especially coming out of the pandemic.
I am grateful to New Music USA for awarding Megan and Cayla a Creator Development Fund grant to fund this commission.
Megan and Cayla are wonderfully-talented musicians and kind souls. I am humbled and honoured that they would entrust me with the opportunity to compose this work for them. I look forward to getting started!