An Ocean Escapade (2024) - ca. 11'

string quartet with narration and audience participation

Written for the Kronos Quartet

Premiere performance
Kronos Quartet at SFJazz Center in San Francisco, CA (June 22, 2024)

Program Note
Growing up, I’ve always loved choose your own adventure books. In choose your own adventure books, you are the main character, you decide the plot of the story, and you experience the outcome of your choices. And the best part about these books is rereading them and getting a completely different story!

I wanted to take this fun concept and structure and apply it to my music. As a composer, I strive to write music that is relatable and interactive. In An Ocean Escapade, a member of the quartet narrates while the audience makes the choices.

The piece begins with narration from a member of the string quartet. They explain how you are on the ocean in your sailboat traveling to an island called Kronos in order to collect magical sparkles from creatures called Friscos. The Friscos only release the magical sparkles from their wings on a certain day of the year. These sparkles guarantee infinite peace and you need to gather the magical sparkles in order to halt hatred and war in your country.

After the first narration, the music begins. After a section of music, there is narration where the audience is prompted to choose one of two choices. The piece follows in that format: narration, music, narration, then choice. Each path reflects an adventure you could have on the ocean: sailing, scuba diving, hearing whales, experiencing a storm, etc. The audience will make two choices during the adventure. The second choice will lead to one of three endings with only one ending leading successfully to Kronos island.

*** An Ocean Escapade is four pieces (four paths) in one due to its choose your own adventure structure, resulting in different durations for each path. The performance above is only one path but there are still three versions that have never been premiered!

Awards and Recognition
- Featured on Show 457 of NPR's From the Top for An Ocean Escapade (Jan. 2025)