Commissioned by the New Hampshire Music Teachers Association and the Music Teachers National Association

This new song cycle has been inspired by the beauty of the New England landscapes: the mountains, the valleys, the lakes, the night skies, and the countless trails to travel between them. Although modern life is undeniably hectic (and no one can truly and permanently escape the questions and challenges life brings), there is a certain reassurance in the serenity and peace that nature provides. We are reminded that the human experience is largely unchanged, even by technology, and that some of the same thoughts, feelings, doubts, hopes, and dreams have been woven into the lives of people regardless of when or where they lived. We experience strength and perspective from the tops of mountains, a sense of community in the valleys, endless possibilities as we peer into the night skies, and a renewed sense of self as we navigate paths and trails, learning to follow the signs but also trust our instincts. New Hampshire has been my home since 2015, and this cycle is proudly written for the New Hampshire Music Teachers Association and the Music Teachers National Association. For these songs, I selected texts by New England poets historic and contemporary, and specifically poems that reflect the relationship between nature and life.

Approximate Duration: 15:30

• Paradise Island: 4:00

• Birches: 3:30

• Beauty and Duty: 1:30

• Reminiscence: 3:00

• The Nature of Life: 3:30