a tempest round me

a tempest round me is a tribute to the creative muse, the divine power of human imagination and vision.  Walt Whitman’s The Mystic Trumpeter served as the nucleus and catalyst to the sonic universe of a tempest round me.  The entire work grows from the musical seeds heard in the opening measures.

The work is also a celebration of composer Steven Stucky’s 60th birthday.  He has been a cherished mentor and friend, a nurturer of my own creative impulse, and an integral part of my creative continuum.  A tempest round me is affectionately and respectfully dedicated to him.

Commissioned by the ASCAP Foundation Charles Kingsford Fund