almost awake

solo piano

ca. 5 1/2 minutes

completed 4/4/2020 in Baton Rouge, LA

When you are dreaming a dream, but deep down know that you have to wake up. Sometimes we want to stay there, despite being almost awake.

This is a piece for solo piano, and my first serious attempt at putting something together for the instrument in a few years. It definitely gave me something exciting and different to work on over the spring break when everything was under quarantine. There is a strong influence from sections of my 4 Choral Miniatures in the material used for this work. Texturally this piece works to create an abstract, light atmosphere where ideas can float around and be interrupted at any time; similar to being half asleep, and unsure if you are still dreaming.

The performance score, shown below, can be purchased at Sheet Music Plus, through this link.

IMPROVISATIONS on Almost Awake

The video below is a live performance by Connor Underwood. This performance takes the improvisatory nature of the original composition and takes it further with freeform development of the original motives.