sun, please don't rise just yet

Program Notes

Leah Bruno commissioned this work for her graduating piano recital, which conveniently fell at the end of my master's degree as well. Over coffee, we shared a bittersweet sentiment of excitement to move to the next step in our lives, tinged by nervousness around being in the world, away from the structured space of university. I was drawn to think about the sun and moon. In the several times I've written about them, I've viewed the moon as peaceful but emphasized sunrise as a beautiful, wondrous phenomenon. Here, I instead view the sunrise as chasing away the moonlight, as a new day approaches whether we are ready or not.

sun, please don't rise just yet

I know you are warm and beautiful

and I know that with you comes new light

but I'm not quite done looking at the stars.