Breath of the Ancient Forest was imagined as a work that would allow young musicians to acclimate to and devlop an appreciation for impressionist and contemporary musical styles. The piece uses the same melody troughout, but transforms it through textures that simulate wind and breath. the contrapuntal lines, while classical in influence, are approached with a colorful and dissonant flavor through use of ostinato and white noise effects.

I have always been fascinated by the overwhemling forces of the natural world.

The deafening silence of the forest is no exception. Whether across the midwestern United States--where I have spent the majority of my life--or across the American

West, Canada, or Great Britain--where I have been blest to travel--the world is in

no short supply of ancient forests. This work seeks to capture the primal force of these monolithic entities.