PROGRAM NOTES

Arranged from the first The Floating Island for piano in collaboration with Sakurako Kanemitsu, this piece takes its inspiration from the novel, Life of Pi, by Yann Martel. The music attempts to depict the plight of the castaway Pi while he is stranded out in the seemingly endless, vast desert that is the open ocean. Spoilers ahead: To his astonishment and disbelief, he stumbles upon a bizarre discovery; an enormous island made entirely of algae floating freely in the water, populated by only meerkats and large pools of freshwater that mysteriously supply dead fish as food. It is a paradise that is beautiful, strange, and wondrous, providing Pi with everything he could ever need. However, Pi ultimately realizes that, rather live out his days in this strange paradise, he must return to the anguish of the open sea and find his way back to reality. Though the strange and beautiful island is fictional, I hope the music will inspire listeners to appreciate and help preserve the many wonders of the natural world. (R.S.)

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*2018 ASCAP Young Composer Award Finalist