Program Notes:

The term 'muddleheaded' is frequently employed to describe an individual who is mentally disorganized and confused, much like many of us during our teenage years.

This piece is inspired by my middle school years in a boarding school in China, during which time I learned more about the importance of friendships and independence, than maths. The piece is structured into five short movements, each associated with a distinct and memorable fragment from my adolescent years at the boarding school:

I: Good morning?
Waking up at 6am every morning had always been a huge struggle, especially in the cold winter days with no heaters whatsoever…

II: Pork Chop Noodle Soup
Few things brought as much joy as a steaming bowl of pork chop noodle soup from the dining hall.

III: Mathematics
Not all Chinese kids are good at maths…

IV: First Crush
We have all been there… 

V: PE
Pure excitement from physical classes. As our PE teacher often remarked, "Hand a group of 14-year-old boys a basketball, and they disappear from sight in an instant."