for solo piano
duration: 15’

MOVEMENTS

I. a bird flies
II. bare branches
III. snowfalls
IV. winter stars
V. the moon’s gaze in a valley of snow

PROGRAM NOTE

Winter is a season of revelation: as leaves fall, animals depart or slumber, and greenery fades and dies, we’re able to clearly see the shapes and structures of what remains; forms usually covered up by the busy activity of living things.

This piece explores some of my favorite (revealed) winter forms: the dark, splintering branches of trees; the swooping arcs of a lone bird in flight; the soft falling traceries of snow; and the cold, clear light of the winter moon or stars, illuminating the folds of barren landscapes.

The titles of the last two movements come from Mark Strand’s poem “Lines of Winter.” The title of the second movement was inspired by “Winter Branches,” a piece written by one of my composition teachers, David Kechley.