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David Kalhous, piano

The extra-musical inspiration for this piano étude came from Lake Michigan and my walks through Rogers Park at the Chicago lake front. The contrast between suspended wave-like oscillations of individual notes and intervals is juxtaposed with an accumulation and release of musical energy (similar to water state change and its effect on the surface of water). The harmonic material comes from my newly discovered “sonance modes”, which represent a very personal means of organizing the pitch material in the piece. The work gradually unfolds the gently asymmetrical spiral form through textural, harmonic, registral, rhythmic progression and regression. … of the lake is dedicated to my dear friend and colleague, David Kalhous.