As Juniper Storms (2025)

• | 3+picc.3+EH. 3+bcl. 3+cbsn. – 4.3.3.1 – timp.+3 perc. – hp. pno. – strings |
• Study on Frankenthaler VII
• |10’30″| Commissioned by the Cabrillo Festival of Contemporary Music, Music Director Cristian Măcelaru with generous support from Michèle and Laurence Corash.
• Cabrillo Festival Orchestra, cond. Christian Mǎcelaru, Santa Cruz, CA, August 10th, 2025

Program Note

As Juniper Storms (2025) is a work that draws inspiration from American abstract expressionist Helen Frankenthaler. Frankenthaler’s painting, fittingly titled “Overture,” is a lush, forest green abstraction that dramatically dances across its canvas. The composition, like the artwork, is full of kinetic energy and dramatic gestures. I was drawn to these qualities in Frankenthaler’s painting as well as the painting’s earthy green colors, which reminded me of blooming trees that begin to overtake regions in late spring. Additionally, during this time of year, storms are frequent where I live in the Eastern U.S. Therefore, one often sees these vibrant green trees being hurled around in the wind as the storms rage. Frankenthaler’s canvas, with its sweeping waves of green, captures this aspect of the late spring climate, a period when juniper green storms. As Juniper Storms was commissioned by the Cabrillo Festival of Contemporary Music, and premiered with the festival’s orchestra conducted by Cristian Măcelaru in August 2025. The work is dedicated to my composition mentor, Melinda Wagner, with admiration and gratitude.

As Juniper Storms continues my series of compositions responding to paintings by the American abstract expressionist Helen Frankenthaler. Desiring to create a work that takes elements from one art form and transfers them to another, As Juniper Storms focuses on the character and essence of Frankenthaler’s painting “Overture” (1992), rather than attempting to translate aspects of the three-dimensional to the temporal. With rhythm and pulse being a prominent feature of this work, instruments from the African diaspora and American Jazz music (such as cabasa, steel pan, log drums, congas, and hi-hat) are used to evoke the impulsive and kinetic energy of Frankenthaler’s canvas. Having influences from post-tonal modernism, Jazz, and music from the African diaspora, As Juniper Storms fuses these musical aesthetics, alluding to the nature of Frankenthaler’s lively abstraction.