Unmanned

for string quartet and electronics
commissioned by the Friction Quartet

Unmanned (2013) explores the ways in which recent developments of technology have enabled soldiers to distance themselves from the disturbing realities of war. Scored for string quartet and live electronics, the work explores a variety of relationships to form a direct metaphor with the use of automated weapons in military campaigns. This proverbial remote control removes us from the brutality of conflict, leaving behind the physical scars of conventional battle. Only images of carnage captured by surveillance cameras challenge our perpetual denial of any wrongdoing and leave an unsettling mental imprint that is difficult to disregard.