Change for a Dollar?

Change for a DollaR?

Monica Ohuchi, piano

Kennedy Verrett, composer

FEAR NO MUSIC

Season Opener Generations.

September 30th, 2024 The Old Church Portland. OR

Based on a true life event in Portland Oregon

“Hey you got change for a dollar?” he said.

Walking with anxious intention waving a dollar bill, he asks again.  “Hey, anybody got change for a dollar?”

“You got change for this dollar?”

He proceeded to ask as many of us who would make eye contact.

“Anybody got change for this dollar?”

Now, here we are sitting in the outside patio of Scandals downtown Portland enjoying a beautiful PNW summer day with drinks, and the smell of cigarettes, weed, and overpowering cologne.  

He asks again as he passes along the sidewalk

“Hey bruh, you got change for a dollar?”

Now, he never made it to me directly, but I got to thinking, does he actually want quarters or does he mean

Change in the way we acknowledge and engage with others? Change in the social contract? Change in our perception of the human experience?

If that’s the change he’s asking for? 

Then, I ask   “Do you have change for a dollar?”

It seems like a reasonable price to affect meaningful change.

Change for a Dollar

is composed for prepared pianoforte.

4 quarters (on grand piano spoons are ok) are placed between the strings of four pitches

Bbflat, F1, Ab1, Bbflat2  (E1 may also be used)

The melody is primarily constructed using 5 notes structured largely using haiku form