Willow

Willow for solo clarinet is meant to evoke the ancient mysticism and wildness of the woods near my home in Massachusetts. Brimming with ethereal multiphonic melodies, bubbling color trills, and other "highly imaginative" (Oregon Arts Watch) extended technique passages, Willow "pushe[s] the envelope of the sonic potential" of the clarinet, not just for show, but in order to bring some of the elusive sounds of nature into musical focus. 

The title is also a dedication to a goat named Willow who I took care of while working at a local farm, and who passed away around the time I was writing the piece. The goats on the farm seem to love music and the main motif of Willow is a melody I would often play for them on a little Hungarian folk flute. 

The theme is transfigured over the course of the music to reflect the woods' flickering tempers and colors, their frayed history and root-knotted ruins, and the infinite wonder they  inspire.