When I was little, I used to wonder what the stars could say if I could hear them speaking. I also used to wonder if I could talk to them.
I used to be very afraid of the dark, and what could be in it that I couldn't see. I think a fear of change is similar to this. There doesn't need to be anything scary, its only intimidating because we have no way of knowing unless we embrace it. This piece is a reflection of many moments, both happy and sad, and a decision to allow moving forward in life without fear.
Letters from the Sky is a piece that has acted like a phoenix for me, constantly reborn from the ashes of the old. The English horn melody was first created when I was a freshman in college. Lonely, homesick, and upset, I plucked out the melody in my right hand and created chords with my left. This melody was left untouched for a few months, before taking form in a wind ensemble piece. Once again, it was left alone for a few years until this version!
The piece starts with low strings, ebbing and flowing, with woodwinds trading off as if in conversation. The bassoon and cello begin an entry motive, which allows more movement into the english horn solo. The english horn and clarinet share the main melody, while the rest of the ensemble shimmers underneath. There is a brief moment of growth in dynamics and players, all to come down into the key change into g minor. Here the pizzicato adds anticipation, with the duet in the woodwinds moving above. The flute melody at the key change into G minor is a tribute to a fellow flutist who passed away in 2019. When I heard of her passing, it seemed only fitting to write a little line in thought of her.
After this point, a brass chorale moves us onwards, and soon a key change back to G major takes us home to a contrapuntel climax of sound and energy, once more fading down to a close of the piece.