Program Notes

I first encountered the poetry of Carolyn Adams in "The Weight of Addition: An Anthology of Texas Poetry."  Her poem "Testament" begins with the death of a doe and meditates on the course of nature that rolls thereafter.  The poem at once places death in the natural order and yet shows the soberingly small role each life plays.  

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Nearly from the moment I moved back home to Texas from London, John Lane was a highly supportive colleague at Sam Houston State University.  I was very happy to write this work for his percussion ensemble.  The soprano part was written with Megan Stapleton in mind.  She was a former theory student of mine who by the date of composition had developed her unique voice and embarked on her own wonderful career.