Program Notes
A “pathway of desire” is an architectural term for an unplanned trail that has been eroded into the ground through repeated use — such as a rut in a lawn where the dirt is exposed because people cut across it constantly. It’s not the paved, prescribed path — but it becomes discernible because enough people do deviate from the recommended path in that particular way over time to carve out that new way through.
I’ve been thinking about the times we follow these pathways of desire when navigating through our own lives: We so often feel an external, overwhelming pressure to follow a designated path in our own timeline (getting a degree, meeting a partner, starting a family — boxes we are told we must check off by a certain age, or else…what?). How often do we feel like we’ve failed to meet those standards, only to realize, when we look around, that there are so many other people who aren’t following the prescribed path either. There are so many paths of desire, branching out in all directions — and we can follow any one of them, or create our own.
This piece explores that feeling of choosing to derail from the clear, prescribed path, and toward the barely visible but alluring one, beckoning us off the pavement and into a new story.
Recording
Recording will be available after premiere
Audio Guide
Audio guides will be made available on this site after exclusivity period ends.
Premiere/Performances
Pathways of Desire was commissioned by the Flute New Music Consortium. It will receive simultaneous world premieres on the week of October 12-20 2024 by members of the consortium.
Members of the Consortium for Pathways of Desire:
- Ashley Addington
- Alexandra Aguirre
- Cathie Apple
- Francesca Arnone
- Allison Asthana
- Julie Baker
- Cristina Ballatori
- Jessica Banks
- Julia Barnett
- Christine Beard
- Lisa Bost
- Erika Boysen
- Danielle Breisach
- Andrea Burger
- Wayla Chambo
- Tracy Doyle
- Tabatha Easley
- Katherine Emeneth
- Sarah Frisof
- Marianne Gedigian
- Ai Goldsmith
- Jennifer Grim
- Spencer Hartman
- Emlyn Johnson
- Katherine Jones
- Sydnee Lalwani
- Sophie Lanthier
- Megan Lanz
- Karen Large
- Erin Lesser
- Amy Likar
- Brianne Little
- Shelley Martinson
- Rachel Mellis
- Ellen Mosley
- Jennifer Nitchman
- Alysa O’Connor
- Troy Paolantonio
- Laura Pillman Patterson
- Alheli Pimienta
- Hannah Porter Occena
- Angela Reynolds
- Melissa Richmond
- Nicole Riner
- Elizabeth Robinson
- Naomi Seidman
- Ashley Shank
- Sarah Shin
- Mamie Sprinkle
- Alexa Still
- Cindy Anne Strong Broz
- Laurel Swinden
- Adrienne Tedjamulia-Read
- Ashley Tingey
- Brittany Trotter
- Anika Veda
- Camille Watts
- Valerie Watts
- Christina Webster
- Sarah Weisbrod
- Dustin White
- Kelly Wilson
- Alina Windell Samolesky
- Sarah Jane Young
