Fractured Water (2019)
for Flute, Cello & Piano (All players doubling on water percussion)
Duration: 9 minutes
Commissioned by Fifth House Ensemble for their Rivers Empyrean series, this trio for flute, cello, and piano—with each performer also playing water percussion—explores the life cycle of water and the urgent realities of pollution and conservation. Inspired by the Chicago River, whose historic reversal echoes through the piece in subtle retrogrades, the music engages three narratives: concern, conflict, and hope. Anchored by a quiet reference to the spiritual Down in the River to Pray, the work is both a reflection on environmental fragility and a call to renewal.