Thompson: An Act of Resistance — Spartanburg Philharmonic

by Chris Vaneman

One of the unchallenged assumptions about classical music is that composers must, over the course of a piece, lead their audiences through moments of tension and confusion to an ending that feels “safe,” a melodic and harmonic return to home at the end of a journey. But what if a composer leaves a piece open-ended, and dares his players to, of their own free will, lead the audience to that safe place?

In An Act of Resistance, the young composer Joel Thompson dares to ask that question. But Thompson, an Atlanta native who has been a choir director and music teacher and is now composer-in-residence at the Houston Grand Opera, isn’t just playing with the rules of form. He’s got a most serious and worthy goal, one he can explain better than I can:

“If you don’t use it, you’ll lose it.” Many consider this oft-used saying to be true as it relates to physical fitness, artistic skills, and even mental fortitude. Given the ubiquitous divisiveness and turmoil in the world over the last few years, it seems that this adage may also have other applications. Maybe I’m naive, but I think our current condition can be diagnosed as a severe deficiency in empathy— our world is lacking the strength to love. We haven’t been using it, so we’ve lost it.

This dearth in empathy is so pervasive that is now the new norm. People pride themselves in their rigid opposition of even listening to someone of differing viewpoints in a spirit of openness. So I decided to write a piece that would help me, and hopefully others, rebuild the strength necessary to love deeply, genuinely, and passionately.

This piece is essentially a battle between selfishness and empathy—pride v. love—and because one is easier than the other, the victor is clear towards the end of the piece. It is important that the decision to perform the music that follows “the end” remains a choice for each individual member of the ensemble.

Asking orchestral musicians to put down their instruments and stand up and sing is risky. The act requires a certain vulnerability. It can be perceived as cheesy; It can elicit negative reactions. Only a few people may choose to do it, and therefore be lonely. It can be uncomfortable. But such is the love that is required to truly change our current circumstance.