Premiered by Spektral Quartet (Theo Espy, violin 1, Clara Lyon, violin 2, Doyle Armburst, viola, and Russell Rolen, cello) and Jesse Langen, electric guitar.

PROGRAM NOTES

muzzle (noun):

  1. the projecting jaws and nose of an animal

  2. the open end of an implement
    especially: the discharging end of a weapon

muzzle (verb):

  1. to prevent someone from speaking or expressing his or her thoughts

  2. to put a covering over the mouth and nose of an animal, esp. a dog or a horse, in order to prevent the animal from biting

Dangerous dogs should be muzzled.
Dangerous dogs should be muzzled.
Dangerous dogs should be muzzled.
Dangerous dogs should be muzzled.

muzzle was written in the aftermath of Brett Kavanaugh’s 2018 Supreme Court confirmation hearings, in which Dr. Christine Blasey Ford accused Kavanaugh of raping her as a teenager. While I personally believed Dr. Ford, the televised forum did no justice to either party and left most Americans watching feeling queasy. This piece is inspired by the ways in which the truth can be muzzled in pursuit of political entertainment.