Total Inaction is a response to the unending cycle of gun violence and media coverage in the United States of America. It is a multimovement work that seeks to engage and challenge the listener in order to inspire action and emotion regarding the problem of gun violence. The texts used are from Twitter posts, public statements, and the March For Our Lives website, and are authored by gun rights advocates, public officials, national politicians, and gun control advocates.

See full program notes and score at https://www.brianjhinkley.com/total-inaction.

Performance by the Illinois Modern Ensemble, Stephen Taylor, conductor, 9/29/2022

Total Inaction II. national public health emergency

Total Inaction I. unacceptable

Co-written with Cody Alexander Paul for the Boston Cohort of the New Music Mosaic. Premiered on 9/29/22.

In the United States of America in the year 2020, we witnessed two different sides of America: Two different attitudes toward a global pandemic, two completely contradictory realities, somehow existing simultaneously in front of our eyes.

To represent the duality of the American experience, this piece contains 44 two-measure fragments of 22 different musical ideas, written independently by two composers without any correspondence. Any coincidences between the two fragments of each style are completely unintentional.

A Tale of Two Twenties Two: 2022

Momentum Sonata - III. brisk

Momentum Sonata - II. Variation IV. ethereal, blasphemous

Momentum Sonata - II. Variation III. lilting

Momentum Sonata - II. Variation II. carefree, then energized

Momentum Sonata - II. Variation I. a tad dramatic

Momentum Sonata - II. Theme, simply

Momentum Sonata - I. resolute

An impromptu improvisation using the iPad app GeoShred, by moForte and Wizdom Music. GeoShred allows for a very broad range of sounds and effects, as if an entire soundboard is sitting right in front of you.

Improvisation 1

i'm doing it but i'm mad about it

Currently composing: Wind trio, and improvisations!
Recently completed: Total Inaction for Soprano Solo and Chamber Ensemble. Large work centered on gun violence in the United States.

Brian is currently a Doctor of Musical Arts student in Music Composition at the University of Illinois where he holds a graduate teaching assistantship, and he is also an Instructor of Music at Eastern Illinois University. Brian holds a Master of Music (Composition) degree from Illinois State University and did his undergraduate degree in Piano Performance at Augustana College (Rock Island).

Brian J. Hinkley

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