PROGRAM NOTES:

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One of my favorite things about writing music is the chance to work with friends, new and old. Commissioned by Gregory Guss and Peter London as a complement to their own artwork, this piece began with several free conversations with these new friends and many cups of tea. It was written for composer/violist Kurt Rohde, a good friend, longtime mentor, and performer extraordinaire.

 

The composition itself responds to two artworks by these artists, aiming to evoke the textures, colors, and feelings I found in each. The second movement gradually shifts from fully composed, to aleatoric (guided improvisation), to completely improvised (the Cadenza). In this way, I hope to give the performer the chance to interact freely with my own music while also making it fully their own. I also hope to make a few new violist friends, new listener friends, etc. Many thanks to Greg and Peter for their conversations, to Kurt for his feedback and enthusiasm, and to violist Vijay Chalasani for his own detailed feedback on technical aspects of the score.