It was the second semester of junior year for Pierce “Sparni” Sparnroft (they/them), an aspiring jazz vibraphonist plying the craft at Montclair State University in New Jersey.
Sparni’s prospects on the vibes were rejuvenated by a new professor, the world-renowned Steve Nelson, and were to be showcased during a student-driven recital in May 2023. But all the while, Sparni faced a crisis within.
Since childhood, Sparni has endured bouts of hyperactivity followed by depressive crashes. A new diagnosis and a poor experience with psychiatrists brought matters to a head in 2022.
Sparni is the story of a young person’s quest to make the most of their musical gifts. It is an intimate exploration of life with a mental illness in a country where scores of children and teenagers are struggling with similar conditions, seeking help from a health care system in serious need of reinforcements and repair, and, crucially, craving a forum to discuss these issues.
Through interviews, animation, narrative rap songs, and scenes unfolding in real time, Sparni brings these issues into sharp focus.
