Crystal Canvas (2024)

Scored for String Sextet

Date of Composition: 2024; Duration: 11.5 min; Commissioning body: Beacon Ensemble; Premiere performance: Transfigured Night 2024, Beacon Hill Friends House, Boston USA; Premiere performers: Beacon Ensemble

Instrumentation:

2 violins, 2 violas, 2 cellos

Program Notes

Crystal Canvas is a heartfelt exploration of crystalline structures found in ice, snow, and mosaic glass, highlighting the beautiful array of colors they emit when light passes through them. During winter, these structures become a more prominent presence in our lives. When we step outside, we can see them as icicles hanging from our roofs or as a layer of snow covering mountains and landscapes. If we then retreat indoors, particularly to a church or a building with stained glass windows, we are greeted by a similar spectacle. The dazzling display of colors reveals some of the most beautiful visual characteristics that light can offer.