Solarpunk

for Strings

I. Nucleus
II. Looking through stained-glass, solar-panel windows
III. A future earned (Leave it in the ground! Leave it in!)
IV. Under-recognized constellations

Duration: 14:00

Program Notes

Solarpunk imagines a future in which technological innovation and our relationship with nature exist in harmony. Emerging partly in response to the dystopian visions of cyberpunk and related genres, solarpunk offers a different way of imagining climate change—not through dread and hopelessness, but by envisioning a better world and considering how we might get there.

The four continuous parts trace different aspects of this vision. Part I draws on the science of nuclear fission and the controlled chain reaction that produces energy. Part II reflects solarpunk's bright, vivid visual aesthetic, with influences from Art Nouveau. Part III turns toward punk, metal, and protest chants, asking how we might actively move toward a better future. Part IV, titled after Rebecca Solnit's essay “When the Hero Is the Problem,” shifts the focus from individual heroes to the quieter, coordinated efforts of many people working toward change.

(2023)

Commissioned by the Chamber Orchestra of Edmonton with the assistance of the Edmonton Arts Council.

Click here for an excerpt of the score.

This work was recorded for an upcoming album with the Chamber Orchestra of Edmonton! More news on that soon!