the rock garden (2026) (10 min.)

Instrumentation: 3 flutes, 2 oboes, English horn, 2 clarinets in B♭, bass clarinet in B♭, 2 bassoons, contrabassoon, 4 horns in F, 3 trumpets in C, 2 trombones, bass trombone, tuba, timpani, percussion (2 players: chimes, suspended cymbal | bass drum, tam-tam, triangle), celesta, harp, strings

Program Note

Nestled between University of California, Santa Cruz and Highway 9, lies the Pogonip Open Space Preserve. With eight miles of hiking trails through the redwood forest, there lies several sites of interest, such as the koi pond or lime kilns. Above the lime kilns, however, is a site of magic: a community-run rock garden. Anyone may build a tower of rocks, and anyone may leave a note to be left unread. This piece attempts to evoke both the magical feeling of a place so timeless, yet much is structured in a segmented fashion representing how each sculpture is created by individual rocks. Still however, a dramatic narrative prevails through the duration of the piece, culminating in an outburst of energy before the music relaxes to its original feeling.

the rock garden

Audio mockup of the piece