Paper Crane (2019) for solo piano

Toward the end of her first year of college, my colleague and friend, Lilly Conley, gave me a paper crane. It accompanied a thank-you note, detailing her gratitude for my “composerly advice” during that year, and became the symbol for this piano piece, written for her 19th birthday.

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A folding motive initiates the work with notes gradually gravitating toward each other, signifying the creation of a paper crane. The intervals derived from this motive also set the basis of harmony, which utilizes open intervals. A pentatonic melody floats atop arpeggiated chords, as if swimming, and travels to different pitch centers, creating different combinations of notes which drive harmonic rhythm. After the development of the main material, which represents endurance in flowing waters, the folding motive returns to bring the composition to a close.