Collapsing Parallel Lives

Listen to the work here!
 
Collapsing Parallel Lives is a work for solo marimba, inspired by Spanish and Latin pop music, as well as the nature of living with intersecting identities, particularly the intersections of marginalized identities. The composition of the music is, in a way, a certain musical “code-switching”: just as those whose identity bridges multiple communities are well aware of the ways that they consciously and subconsciously alter aspects of their outward-facing persona depending on the nature of those around them, the music in this work switches suddenly and angularly between three dance styles. As the music progresses and develops, these themes become even more fragmented, and the stress of seeing the world through different lenses, and speaking in different modes, simultaneously, presents itself to the listener.
 
This work was commissioned by solo and chamber percussionist Dr. Matthew Lau, as a part of a new touring program. The works commissioned for this program reflect Dr. Lau’s vision to present a program of works by Asian in the West and LGBTQ+ composers, that touch on his own path as an LGBTQ+ Asian in the West through solo percussion and intermedia.