JL Marlor

This orchestral work explores the idea of an inverted climax—rejecting the traditional, patriarchal peak in favor of a deep, resonant descent. Inspired by the symbolism of the chalice, a vessel representing femininity and creation, the piece dives into the vast, storm-battered depths of the sea as both metaphor and memory. Raised on the hurricane-prone coast of Massachusetts, I connect the ocean’s beauty and violence to the raw, primal energy of creation and destruction. You’ll hear the siren’s song, the crash of waves, the splintering of ships—and, quite literally, the live breaking of wooden planks on stage. This is sound as presence, as resistance, as reclamation. Premiered by the Mannes Orchestra in 2025.