Conversion Into Object

For Solo Alto Saxophone

duration: 8'

This piece is a reflection of the opioid crisis occurring throughout the united states while I was living in Rochester, NY. It chronicles the life of someone who lives in squalor but escapes into bliss through their usage of opioids. In the early stages of addiction, users are in denial of their control of the situation and the drug's impact on their life. As the addiction progresses, the acknowledgment of reality and of their dire situation becomes impossible to ignore. For the lucky few, friends and family members are willing to support them on the journey of sobriety. However, more often, these friends and family members have given up on patience by the time the user is willing to seek help. Those suffering from substance abuse disorder, who only a few years prior were living ordinary lives with healthy relationships, are left to rot. Only judgment and blame are placed upon them.

In upstate New York, many looked the other way

from those that were desperate

as if these Humans were an undesirable object

in a cluttered room

It was a self-fulfilling prophecy

Perusal Score:

https://issuu.com/jeremyhowellmusic/docs/howell_-_conversion_into_object