A Test of Pride (2025)
Instrumentation: violin solo
Duration: 5 minutes
Composed for Juliette Kang--Gabriela Ortiz Composing Studio by OAcademy.
Duration: 5 minutes
Composed for Juliette Kang--Gabriela Ortiz Composing Studio by OAcademy.
Program Note:
A Test of Pride explores the complexity of pride—its strength, fragility, and role in shaping identity. The music unfolds through two contrasting ideas: a bold, persistent fanfare that suggests resilience, and an anxious, spiraling perpetual motion. Their interaction reflects an internal tension between confidence and self-doubt, especially in moments when pride feels difficult to sustain. While not overtly programmatic, the piece leans toward the experience of queer pride—how it can be both empowering and vulnerable. At its core, the work is a reflection on self-acceptance and the courage it takes to be one’s self.
A Test of Pride explores the complexity of pride—its strength, fragility, and role in shaping identity. The music unfolds through two contrasting ideas: a bold, persistent fanfare that suggests resilience, and an anxious, spiraling perpetual motion. Their interaction reflects an internal tension between confidence and self-doubt, especially in moments when pride feels difficult to sustain. While not overtly programmatic, the piece leans toward the experience of queer pride—how it can be both empowering and vulnerable. At its core, the work is a reflection on self-acceptance and the courage it takes to be one’s self.