Commissioned By The Amarillo Symphony
"Skillfully crafted...striking" -The Miami Herald
Premiered By Jacomo Bairos And The Amarillo Symphony In September 2014; Subsequent Performances By The Grand Rapids Symphony, Nu Deco Ensemble, And The Sarasota Orchestra
Stehekin is a tiny community adjacent to the North Cascades National Park in Washington State. It sits at the very end of Lake Chelan and is only accessible by float plane or a long ferry ride. Only around ninety people live in Stehekin year-round, and there is no phone or internet access. Growing up, my family visited Stehekin several times, and most recently in the summer of 2014. Stehekin is a Native American word meaning “The Way Through”, which I believe captures the spirit of the West.
This piece was the first in a very fruitful residency with the Amarillo Symphony. While I had never been to Amarillo before, I wanted to draw on my own memories and
experiences in the American West. I also thought of this piece as a gift to the Amarillo community; with this in mind, I imagined a simple, unfettered song and a portrait of the natural beauty of the landscape.
2018
Commissioned by the Lake George Music Festival with support from the New York State Council for the Arts
2015
Written for the Amarillo Symphony and the Manhattan Chamber Players
2010
Commissioned by the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra for Paul Ferington
2009
2011 Aspen Music Festival Jacob Druckman Award
2008
Premiered by JoAnn Falletta and the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra
