Program Note:   

Written in 1985-86 while he was still wandering the halls of Juilliard, Higher, Louder, Faster! is a cheeky, finger-twisting cello etude that serves as a playful jab at the Juilliard pressure cooker. Dedicated to Bernard Rands and subtitled “An Editorial,” the piece captures a composer’s-eye view of conservatory life — mostly by poking fun at its self-importance.

The music is essentially a high-stakes standoff between the “virtuoso" gymnastics the title demands and a more rebellious, postmodern spirit. The punchline arrives when Hagen sneaks in a quote from “Tea for Two,” a move that sends highbrow gatekeepers into a predictable tizzy about “originality." Of course, they completely miss the joke: it’s actually a witty, musical eye-roll at the very snobbery they’re displaying.