PROGRAM NOTE
River Rising is an elegy to those who’ve lost friends, family, livelihoods, and communities — sometimes an entire existence that can never be recovered — to unexpected tragedy. The hopelessness and horror that tsunamis, hurricanes, floods, fires, earthquakes, war, illness, climate change, and other catastrophic forces may bring seems surreal, having never lived through anything like this firsthand. River Rising is a reflection on complete overwhelm by situations beyond our control that may only be endured together. Special thanks to Mary Kouyoumdjian for letting me play and sample her beloved Siran.