Burst

'Burst' is a piece that has continually shifted in personal meaning since its original composition in 2017. Originally the piece was a simple exploration of the idea of a "burst" in several different guises: a burst of energy, a burst of quiet, a burst of sadness or joy. As I kept working with the piece, eventually listening to it over and over again in the editing process for Orchestral Masters Vol. 6, I came to realize that the personal significance of the piece ran deeper than I had initially recognized. 'Burst' was my first major work since finishing my D.M.A. in Composition at The Hartt School, and it was the end of over a year of writer's block. Since composing 'Burst'I have composed a torrent of new music including a piano trio and a piano concerto. 'Burst' signified the end of a compositional dry spell and the beginning of a new era of creativity - quite literally it was the start of my own 'Burst!' I now consider the piece to be my love letter to creativity: composition and conducting for me, but so many more creative endeavors can be (and I certainly hope will be) invoked by the listener.