Antonio Alvarado-Genie

Rusted Box in Wasteland (2022) written for solo piano explores the details of loneliness. In writing this piece, I had in mind a vast and desolate desert landscape, devoid of any other life. The only visual anchor was a giant, rusted box, as per the title. For the landscape, I crafted the piece to revolve around my synesthesia's dusty orange to represent the sandy landscape, its red for the box, and its purple as the individual experiencing the loneliness. Loneliness is often a nuanced experience. In one instance, it can be gentle or elegant--when you want to be alone. In another, it can anxiety-inducing, with paranoia and the fear of being alone forever. And in another, it can be a purely horrific and depressing experience--a downward spiral. Rusted Box in Wasteland represents this variety of feelings and experiences so that the listener can self-reflect on their own loneliness. Performed by Thomas Weaver of the Curtis Institute of Music on November 27th, 2022 Ca. 9 min Link to the performance: