“On the Brink” – of Disaster or Salvation

The premiere of my Violin Concerto No 2, “on the brink,” on January 25, was one of the high points of my career.  Above all, it was a chance to focus attention on the onrushing climate catastrophe, and the need to find hope and agency in the promise of accelerating technologies and economics.  The ClimateMusic Project enabled me to root this work in science, by connecting me with a team of climate scientists.  Then too it was an artistic high point to work with soloist Elissa Cassini, truly a great artist of our time, and with my longtime colleague Delta David Gier conducting the South Dakota Symphony.  The whole experience was so enriched by the deeply affecting projection design from Camilla Tassi.  I’m now talking with other orchestras about the next performances of this powerful and urgent collaborative work.  There is still time to blunt the worst effects of climate change!