Glenmuick

Organ, 4’ 15” (2019)

After my PhD graduation from the University of Aberdeen, my family spent a few days vacationing in rural Aberdeenshire, near the town of Ballater in Deeside. Exploring the landscapes of the surrounding area and less-travelled places was one of my favorite parts of my time in Scotland, so it was the perfect conclusion to my years there. This piece for organ was inspired by my family’s walk to Loch Muick (“mick”), a picturesque glen and lake in the Cairngorm mountains near the Balmoral estate. I hope that the harmonies and triplet arpeggios that cascade downward in different patterns and rhythms throughout the piece capture the way water flows unevenly through a multi-tiered waterfall or series of lakes, as in mountainous terrain like the Cairngorms. 

Commissioned by Carson Cooman.