Off-White Lies (String Quartet) - Edmund Bascon

World Premiere at University of the Pacific's Spring Premieres Concert - May 1st, 2026 Performers: Lizzie Mendoza and Izzy Knittle, violins Erick Sariles, viola Benedict Ventura, cello Program Notes: We all tell lies. We convince ourselves that deception is kinder than the truth – nothing but a harmless white lie to protect the dignity and happiness of those we care about. Being honest with ourselves, how often is our intention purely kind? Are we scared of hurting our loved ones, or are we scared of our loved ones knowing we hurt them? Is there a tinge in that perfect white? “Off-White Lies” begins with the ‘lie’ motive, repeated ad nauseam throughout the ensemble. Recited so consistently, it begins to feel like the truth, and the music lives in a honeymoon phase for a moment. But as the rose-colored glasses begin to slip, the lie returns ever more insistent to conceal the sour reality. Desperate to return to a utopia that never was, it churns and balloons until something breaks. Sulking, the lie slowly rebuilds to reconstruct the facade. A strained happiness emerges, like a gentle smile through gritted teeth. Emboldened, the lie hammers out to the end, engulfing any notion of sincerity.