Program Notes - Dance of the Mountain Raindrops

Two versions: one for piano and strings, one for piano and chamber orchestra.  The title refers to a gentle, warm, summer rain falling over the lush vegetation of the Great Smoky Mountains in Eastern Tennessee, wilderness in which the composer has spent many hours and hiked many miles. Raindrops seem to dance as they splash off moss covered logs and drip from the leaves of dense rhododendron. Stylistically, the piece traverses several styles, including minimalism, traditional writing, and jazz.