Performed by the Chelsea Symphony, conducted by Mark Seto.

Swallowtail surges, floats, and tumbles through a fog of childhood memories: mountain landscapes, glaciers, forests, and waterfalls of the Pacific Northwest. I grew up in Seattle and my parents were avid mountain climbers and naturalists, often taking me hiking in the Cascade mountains. I was always fascinated by the immense scale and interconnectedness of the natural world and its broad and diverse ecosystems. All of these images, moments, and textures in the piece are tied together via the memory of a jig that a childhood friend of mine used to warm up on their violin. The piece is in two halves, with the second being a transformation of the first half. After an explosive opening outburst and a distant call from the horns and bowed crotales, a slow and mysterious pulse begins in the toy piano and metallic percussion. On top of this, a descending figure in the strings gradually develops into a warm lullaby. The second half is in some ways a mirror of the first: the opening outburst is now a distant ocean, and the pulse returns in the low brass, building and gradually overwhelming the lullaby in the end of the piece.

Specific instrumentation details are on the second page of the score.

For additional information, questions, or parts requests, contact Aidan.