Music for String Orchestra string orchestra (1986) Duration: ca. 11’30” Music for String Orchestra seeks to create a soundworld which in some ways mirrors the kinds of changes that we can observe in our natural environment. If we take the time to observe the natural world around us, we will see that a familiar scene, which while often seeming to remaining basically the same, is in fact constantly changing. From day to day and season to season, different plays of sunlight and shade, the colourings produced by seasonal changes, etc., present a picture to us that is always familiar yet at the same time always different. This score seeks to create a sound world which in some ways mirrors the kinds of changes that we can observe in our natural environment. If we take the time to observe the natural world around us, we will see that a familiar scene, which while often seeming to remaining basically the same, is in fact constantly changing. From day to day and season to season, different plays of sunlight and shade, the colourings produced by seasonal changes, etc., present a picture to us that is always familiar yet at the same time always different. In Music for String Orchestra, very distinctive harmonies used at the beginning of the work are later on used in many new and different juxtapositions, with subtle harmonic and rhythmic variations. However, because of the the distinctiveness of the original musical materials, the listener can recognize them as something familiar, even when presented in different musical surroundings. The listener has the feeling of hearing a music which is always familiar, yet always different. Music for String Orchestra was premiered in 1988 at the Banff Festival of the Arts.

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