I’ve finally had enough “down time” while on my trips to
Champaign-Urbana (where I am Composer-in-Residence of the Champaign-UrbanaSymphony Orchestra) to stop and ponder the rapturous charm of the region. As a
composer, I’m interested in seeing everything… the vastness of the prairie from
afar, half-eaten ears of corn still nestled in their dried-out stalks, an old
wood and wire fence in a pasture, a recently plowed cornfield that’s catching
the last rays of sunlight, sculptures embedded in a grassy field, an alley
filled with brightly colored graffiti… beauty and complexity surround us
everywhere. As a composer, I draw my inspiration for new works from a wide
range of sources. Often, where I’ve been and what I’ve been doing find their
way into future musical compositions. Who knows how these images and memories
of this region will manifest in my music?
Here are a few of my favorite pictures from recent trips.
Enjoy!