Storms of Glass

Storms of Glass (2021)

for orchestra (~5 minutes)

for wind ensemble (2022)

Program Note:

Storms of Glass is a commemorative reflection on my time in Northwest Ohio, Bowling Green, Perrysburg, and Toledo. Toledo is known for being the “Glass City” as it was once the hub for producing automotive glass that was then sent to the “Motor City,” Detroit. The Northwest region of Ohio holds a special place in my heart as it was where I learned a lot at BGSU, lived furthest away from home during a global pandemic, and found a voice for the music I want to write. While in the area, I frequently went to the Toledo Art Museum, and I gravitated towards the rich collections of glass art. In particular, New Hampshire native Jack Storms caught my eye with beautiful shapes and colors. Storms of Glass (pun intended) is based on one of his pieces Fine Art Glass Sculptures Chronos (see below). Storms’ pieces take between 6- 24 weeks due to his unique style of using a cold-working lathe with no heat involved in the process. The palindrome shape of Chronos is what first grabbed my attention. But as I looked around the small sculpture, I found the density of colors moving towards the middle of the palindrome to be exquisite. Throughout Storms of Glass, you can find references to Chronos in the shape, colors, density, and brilliance of the glass.