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Program notes: “Frozen Lightning” was commissioned and premiered by Grant
Westerman. The piece was inspired by my memories of living in Minnesota when I
was younger and occasionally seeing lightning strike during a blizzard. The initial
experience felt unreal and I remember watching the sky for several minutes afterward in
order to make sure that what I saw was real. The piece starts with a very dreamy
opening and utilizes the sounds of a blizzard that I recorded from my backyard. The B
section represents the energy and wonder that I experienced as a child, seeing
lightning strike in the middle of a blizzard. As the piece continues it represents the
waning excitement that I felt while I waited for the lightning to strike again until I was left
wondering whether it even happened in the first place. The cadenza symbolizes my
determination to see the lightning strike again despite my doubts eventually leading to
the F section where the lightning strikes one more time. G to the end of the piece
represents the content daze that I was in after finally seeing the lightning again as I
continued to watch the snowfall.