Program Notes

Miriam K. Smith approached me while she visited the MasterWorks Festival in 2024 commissioning a piece for unaccompanied cello piece from me for her to play; the only specification beyond its instrumentation was that it be as difficult as possible, which, for better or for worse, I very much did. Not long before she commissioned this work from me, she had recorded an album with Kodály's Sonata in B minor for Solo Violoncello. This luminary work was ever present in my mind as I wrote my piece, and eventually I decided that this piece should be an homage to it, leading me to title it Hommage à Kodály. Throughout I reference Kodály's work, while trying to make it unique to me and my emerging voice.