Modern Notebook for March 26

Modern Notebook for March 26 - April 1, 2023

Photo: Composer Du Yun (photo credit: Xiao Nan for Elle China)

On this week’s Modern Notebook with Tyler Kline: “Black Iris” by Reena Esmail was composed at the height of the “Me Too” movement, and she says that when writing this piece she was “filled with rage, seeing the injustices that plagued even the strongest, most powerful women among us.” It’s a work in which Esmail seeks to use her platform to start real, honest discussions about how each one of us can contribute to a better future for everyone.

Then: individuals affected by “Alice in Wonderland” syndrome often report feeling that different parts of their body are disproportionate in size and proximity, and that their overall surroundings are “warped.” This syndrome is, in part, the inspiration for Du Yun’s piece titled “i am my own achilles’ heel.” It’s a work which seeks to address mental health, and also explore her own fascinations with fantastical worlds.

Plus music by Hannah Boissonneault, Beata Moon, Paola Prestini, Carolyn Goodwin, Hilda Parades, Emily Adby, Emma O’Halloran, Susanna Hancock, and others; and performances by cellist India Gailey, Unheard-of//Ensemble, fivebyfive, Copenhagen Clarinet Choir, Brooklyn Rider, ~Nois, and more.

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