Program Notes

The Minnesota State Climatology Office coined the term “lost winter” after observing that, based on one of their definitions of “winter,” most of the state now experiences only 2-3 weeks of true winter conditions rather than the usual 3 months. This dramatic shift over the years reflects the broader impact of climate change on regional weather patterns.

Marked by minimal snowfall and above-freezing temperatures, Kansas City saw its warmest winter on record in 2023-24. I composed Lost Winter in response to Tristan Murail’s Winter Fragments, reflecting on Murail’s perception of winter and how climate change has altered the new generation’s view of the season. This work explores how the changing climate impacts our understanding of the past, and how it will continue to shape future art.

In contrast to Murail’s fragile timbre and delicate textures, Lost Winter begins with dense, closed harmonies which undergo an algorithmically driven rhythmic process.  Superimposed over a palindrome, the artificial nature of these compositional devices embody humanity’s disruptive impact on the natural world.