Program Notes:

Afternoon Showers was composed as a way to evoke a unique experience I've had since moving to Harrisonburg. Growing up in the panhandle of Florida, random bouts of rain are not a new phenomenon to me. Though since moving to the Shenandoah Valley and being able to watch rain come and go, pass by, and linger in the distance, all from an elevated point, I've gained a new appreciation for something that in the past I’ve seen as a nuisance that tends to sneak up on me. Utilizing the three instruments in the ensemble, making use of various extended techniques, such as cluster chords in the piano, harmonics in the cello, strumming the strings of both, and various effects on the bassoon, I try to achieve a blend of their three very unique sonorities. I hope that this piece will conjure the image of clouds passing in the distance, carrying rain, thunder, and a sense of peace. All things I found with a new appreciation and perspective on something that was as normal as breathing.