Premiered on January 11th, 2026 by Beth Morrison Projects

When BMP approached me with the opportunity to write a site-specific piece for community choir in Times Square, I was both elated and intimidated. What subject matter is worthy of a place that is, symbolically, the town square for all ofAmerica? Gradually, an idea crystallized: I wanted to write something that felt like a tear in the fabric of creation; I wanted the listener to be left feeling like they saw something they perhaps weren’t supposed to, but would leave an indelible impression on their spirit. With this goal in mind, I approached Julian (it/its), my poet, with a range of musical influences which I aimed to incorporate: the brooding, ecological epics of The Ocean Collective, the ecstatic rage of Deafheaven, the enervating aggression of Persefone. Julian delivered in spectacular fashion, crafting an ecological epic of its own: a story inspired by ther eal-life research of CETI (Cetacean Translation Initiative), an organization which endeavors to decode the linguistic mysteries of whale song. The text tells the story of a human, once an ocean dweller millions of years ago (as all humans’ evolutionary ancestors were), who ventures to the land to partake of its many pleasures. The whales respond in kind, first anxiously lamenting being unable to hear each other over the din of ships passing by, but soon breaking through the noise to eachother, and to all of humanity. Julian and I both were unconcerned with crafting a work that was “about” anything in a linear way, in fact, “about-ness” as such is something we generally actively avoid as creators. Nevertheless, the emotional arc of thetext was very clear to me, which made writing the music very short work. In this vein, I encourage the listener to simplyexperience the piece on whichever level they receive it, rational, pre-rational, emotional, etc. (I like to imagine the scene from the first Avengers movie where the aliens invade Times Square, but with the aliens replaced by curious, cuddly whales come not to destroy humanity, but to bring it to the next stage of its spiritual evolution.)

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Premiered by the JACK Quartet

Overdrive is a progressive metal song for string quartet. It was inspired by the music of Periphery, a band which uses detuned, extended range guitars to create dense, high-octane music. This piece uses brutal, unpitched string techniques to imitate the sounds of metal. Often, the appeal of listening to metal lies in hearing the constant oscillation between clean sounds, harsh, distorted sounds, and all the shades of grey in between. This timbral conflict is the heart of this piece. With it, I hope to evoke the spectacle of this genre which is so dear to my heart.

Program

Jens Ibsen - Scene Symphony
SFCO Commission with support from the NEA

Philip Glass - Concerto for Harpsichord and Orchestra
Jory Vinikour, harpsichord

Joseph Haydn - Symphony No. 49 “La Passione”

Scene Symphony is my latest symphony for string orchestra. It is a tribute to the metal/heavy music scene that brings its excitement and fervor to the concert hall. Come hear the premiere of the first two movements! Like all SFCO performances, it is free.

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