The natural world is a source of inspiration for many composers. For me, the night has been particularly inspirational. In the right setting, the darkness and quiet instill a true feeling of isolation and serenity that I seem to thrive on. “Night Scene” was written entirely at night, in the silence of my favorite practice room at the University of Puget Sound. My inspiration was a beautiful image of the rising full moon as seen through one of the campus’s many trees. The silence of the night and the familiar backdrop of the campus created a scene that I felt deserved a lush, reflective musical portrait, and the music for such a portrait really seemed to write itself. Writing at night gave me a chance to write in near solitude, the rest of the building filled with a silence through which I could hear the music for this work. The picture that gave me this piece and taught me the beauty of the night will stay with me for a long time.
“Night Scene” is dedicated to my wonderful composition teacher, Dr. Robert Hutchinson.