Noble Pond, for orchestra

"At its conclusion, the audience remained silent for a few moments before bursting into enthusiastic applause, a testament to its profound impact. It illustrates the power of new music as well as old to transform and enrich our lives..." -The Spokemsan-Review

This work was originally written for solo piano in the early summer of 2008 before I decided to orchestrate it in early 2009. I wrote it a little less than a year after hearing tragic news while watching CNN. In August 2007, Austin Haley and his grandfather went out to a pond near Noble, Oklahoma to go fishing. Simultaneously, police received a call about a snake sighting and reported to the pond. An officer fired at the snake and his first shot skipped off the pond. The second shot hit Austin in the head, killing him. He was five years old.

There is no way to portray the grief and sadness experienced by the Haley family and those that knew Austin; this piece is simply my reaction to a terrible tragedy.

Dedicated to the memory of Austin, and to his family

Premiered by the Curtis Symphony Orchestra
Subsequent performances with the Grand Rapids Symphony, the Spokane Symphony, and the Aspen Concert Orchestra

‍