About:  Ever since I met Alex Granger, I knew I had to write something special for him. And it was his idea that I compose a violin concerto as my Masters Thesis in the fall of 2013. The first movement is the heart of the piece. The solo violin has its own quasi-cadenza thoughts, independent of what the orchestra says. After a thickly whipped-up dialogue, it arrives at its final show of seething virtuosity. The preceding movements balance out the weight of the first. The second is a song for breathing — a melody unfolds above the muted strings until the whole ensemble sings it as one. Finally, a wild dance in a sort of additive rondo form whirls the concerto to a close. This piece is dedicated to Alex, probably the most devoted musician I know.

Premiere:  Alex Granger and the San Francisco Conservatory of Music ad hoc string orchestra, conducted by Eric Choate on April 27th, 2014 at San Francisco Conservatory of Music's Sol Joseph Recital Hall, San Francisco, CA.

Instrumentation:  solo violin, string orchestra

Duration:  ca. 25 minutes