8’52”

Originally written for trumpet in C and organ, for Brian Kai Chin and Douglas Cleveland, this arrangement was made for TORCH in Seattle.

Program notes - TORCH

Arctic Fruit is a collection of six short movements about various plants found in the Arctic. This was composed as I prepared for a retreat in Longyearbyen on the island of Svalbard – Longyearbyen is the northernmost continuously inhabited town on the planet. In learning about the archipelago, I became curious about what the reindeer, foxes, polar bears and other native animals eat. This piece is a fanciful look at some of the plants they enjoy. Enjoy some of the playfulness and beauty!

Curlewberries, also known as black crowberries, are purple-black drupes that have the highest lipid content of any European fruit, perfect for creatures needing high-calorie nourishment. This first movement feels desolate, remote, and cool.

Bog Cranberries are found in cool, wet, northern environments, and obtain some of their nutrients through mycorrhizal networks. The Inuit often cook bog cranberries with fish eggs and blubber. This 2nd movement is heavier, darker, with a thicker texture – muddy, boggy, and layered.

Reindeer Moss is not a moss, but a lichen, which reindeer love to eat. It is tough and springy, but fragile – it grows only about 1/8 of an inch a year, and if trampled, can take decades to recover. The third movement is springy and bouncy, like both the lichen and the reindeer that eat it. The notes intertwine intricately like tiny roots, finely woven into a strong mesh.

Bearberries, also known as kinnikinnick, are red oval berries that are often eaten by bears and humans, and are also used as medicine by some indigenous peoples. The leaves can be used as a tobacco substitute, as a tea, and also as incense in religious ceremonies. The 4th movement is heavy, slow, stubborn, and a bit ominous.

Spatterdock is a yellow lily with spongey rhizomes. The seeds are eaten by turtles and ducks, or ground into flour for human use.  The 5th movement is bright and fanfare-like with a wide range both high and low.

Bilberries are a lot like our familiar blueberries, contain healthy nutrients and a powerful staining ability. They’re often used to make jam, liqueurs, and sorbets. The final movement presents a solid ground, resolute, while the clarinet and trumpet twist and wind above.