The Borders

fl + Cl + cb + gtr + pno, 5' (2019)

As I started this piece, I was traveling quite a lot. In particular, I moved from Scotland, where I had just completed my PhD, back to the United States (Upper Michigan). I also managed to travel quite a bit while I was in the U.K., albeit mostly on the cheap – I saw a good deal of the country and continent through EasyJet flights and out Megabus windows. I decided to write a piece that might be the kind of music I’d enjoy listening to on repeat on a road trip or plane ride, nostalgic for where I’ve been but excited to get where I’m going. In particular, I fondly remembered trips I took down to Glasgow and Manchester to see friends and attend performances, and the peaceful time I spent on the M8 and M74 motorways in the Scottish Borders and North of England. The idea of “borders” or “border-lands” between regions, countries and states of mind stuck in my head while writing this piece as well – to me they feel full of possibility and promise, not fear or tension. 

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