…And that has made all the difference. (2020)

Instrumentation: Oboe, Viola, Harp

Duration: 7:30

Performances:

For the 2020 Mostly Modern Festival

Program Notes:

"... And that has made all the difference." is the last line of Robert Frost's infamous poem The Road Not Taken. For me, this poem has come to represent my wife's hometown of Marquette, Michigan, an oasis in the middle of a vast wilderness that few seem to be aware of. Those who have been lucky enough to visit Marquette or, to my great envy, live there, are aware of the natural beauty of the city, which sits on the coast of Lake Superior; of the smell of the water; and the unbridled joy a walk down the coast at dusk can elicit.

In this piece I hope to capture all of the feelings I have about Marquette. The static, magical quality of the air at dusk, the warm feelings I have for the hometown of the love of my life, and the laughter and love I have felt there.

Years ago I took a viola player to dinner, and that has made all the difference.