Duration: 6'20"
Instrumentation:
Clarinet in Bb, Vibraphone, Piano and Cello

"Footholds" honors the softness of those small things that bring a sense of purpose in challenging times. These are the things—practices as simple as making a morning cup of coffee, or tending to a houseplant—that can tether a person to the world when everything feels hazy, and that provide grips into a reality that is sometimes slippery. 

"Footholds" was commissioned for the Aspen Contemporary Ensemble's First Glimpse concert series. It was premiered at on August 8, 2021 at the Aspen Music Festival and School in Harris Hall. “Footholds” was made possible by the Susan and Ford Schumann Scholarship. Recording courtesy of AMFS. Clarinet in Bb: Amer Hasan, Vibraphone: Colin McCall, Piano: Derek Wang, and Cello: Otavio Manzano Kavakama.

Duration: 9'00"
Instrumentation: String Quartet

The title "Switchback" refers to the zigzagging roads that take a traveler bit by bit up a mountainside, and the plateaus that allow for continuously changing views of the scenery below.

This piece was written for the 2019 Norfolk Chamber Music Festival (Yale School of Music) with the generous support of the Baumgardner Fellowship. It was premiered by the Thalea Quartet on August 3, 2019. Recording courtesy of the Norfolk Chamber Music Festival. Performance by Thalea Quartet.