The title "Shock Workers" refers to the early 20th-century movement of highly productive laborers who, driven by ideological motives, significantly increased their daily output. This composition reflects on the profound impact of industrialization on humanity and the resulting relentless labor. In the surge of AI, machines not only challenge mechanical labor but also intellectual and creative pursuits. As machines compel us to increase our workload, are they aids or competitors? The piece doesn’t answer that question, but portrays individuals grappling with mechanized pressures, expressing both resilience and vulnerability in a world increasingly shaped by efficiency. It explores the complex relationship between progress and its human costs, prompting contemplation of how humanity adapts to and endures in an era of technological advancement. Themes of perseverance and adaptation resonate throughout "Shock Workers," inviting listeners to engage with a musical narrative that mirrors the complexities of contemporary existence. Mechanical design and programming of the motors were made in collaboration with Eli Backer.

Program:

Wadada Leo Smith: String Quartet No. 17 (The Capitol, Washington D.C.: An Experiment With Democracy and Capitalism) for String Quartet (2024, New York Premiere)

Roscoe Mitchell: 9/9/99 With CARDS for String Quartet (2009/2011, rev. 2021, New York Premiere)

Ledah Finck: The Best Donuts In Pennsylvania for Violin, Saxophone, Piano and Drums (2023) 

Inga Chinilina: Shock Workers for Viola, Saxophone and Motors (2024, New York Premiere)

Kylan Hillman: Methods of Crunching for Electric Guitar (2024)

Anna Meadors: Encircle, recirculate for Saxophone and No-Input Mixer (2025, World Premiere)

Jee Seo: On Fever II for Solo Violin (2017, New York Premiere) 

Brian Mark: Per Aspera Ad Astra for Solo Violin and Digital Delay Processing Pedal with Video (2020)