Premiere:
11/99, Berkeley New Music Project, UC Berkeley,
Karen Rosenak and Michael Orland, pianos

Duration - 14'

Toy Solace
Version for Nine MIDI Toy Pianos

Duration - 1’30”

Selected for Klavier Nonette, an installation at Jack Straw Productions' New Media Gallery,
Seattle, WA, January 16 – April 27, 2003

Program Note:

Solace was inspired by a recording made by Alan Lomax in 1959 of banjo player Hobart Smith performing, on piano, the tune, Fly Around My Blue-Eyed Girl. The amazing aspect of the performance was his ability to transfer his banjo picking technique to the piano. Solace has nothing directly to do with that recording or that song. It attempts, through simple techniques such as canons, retrogrades, and extremely limited pitch material, to stay in the same joyous place for as long as possible.

Purchase the Klavier Nonette recording of Toy Solace here.