Commissioned By Chamber Music Northwest, With Support From New Music USA
Thirty Thousand Days was composed in the first half of 2017. My father, ever the statistician, prefers to think of life as a 30,000-day journey, divided into three equal stages. When my sister and I reached our 10,000th days soon after turning 27, he excitedly called to make sure we knew the milestone we had reached. With a sharp memory he recounted stories of his own 10,000th and 20,000th days. While we were amused by his enthusiasm for this seemingly random day, I came to realize the value of looking at life from a broader perspective.
Thirty Thousand Days explores this idea of life's three stages. In the first movement, I try to evoke the joy, innocence, and sweetness of youth. The second movement depicts struggle, coldness, and fury. Finally, the last movementimagines acceptance, resignation, loss, and love. In each movement, I constantly change the musical material so that no motive or moment is ever repeated; it is always evolving. While we may have memories, we can never
again truly experience how things were. Thirty Thousand Days is dedicated to my father.
Premiered by David Shifrin and the Dover Quartet in July 2017
Recorded by David Shifrin and the Dover Quartet as part of the album "Clarinet Quintets of Our Time", released by Delos Recordings
2025
Co-commissioned by the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, Chamber Music Houston, and Chamber Music Monterey Bay for the Escher Quartet
2022
This work was commissioned by La Jolla SummerFest and premiered at the Conrad in La Jolla, CA in August 2022.
2021
Written for Edgar Meyer and the Dover Quartet in 2021
2020
Commissioned by the Wolf Trap Foundation for the Performing Arts
2018
Commissioned by Chamber Music America with generous funding provided by the Mellon Foundation
2018
Commissioned By Efe Baltacigil And Nicolas Kendall
2018
Commissioned By Chamber Music Northwest, With Support From New Music USA
2016
Written for Demarre, Anthony McGill, and Michael McHale
2015
Commissioned By Chamber Music Northwest
2014
Commissioned by the Ocean Reef Chamber Music Festival
2013
Commissioned by the Buffalo Chamber Music Society for the Attacca Quartet
2013
Commissioned by Orchestra 2001
2012
Commissioned by the Chamber Music Festival of Lexington
2010
Written For The Aspen Contemporary Ensemble
2010
Commissioned by the Curtis Institute of Music
2009
Commissioned By Curtis-on-tour for Benjamin Beilman and Yekwon Sunwoo
2009
Commissioned by Music From Angel Fire, Ida Kavafian, Director
2008
Commissioned By The Curtis Institute Of Music
2007
2008 ASCAP Foundation Morton Gould Young Composers Award
