The Fabric of Everyday Life

Six Miniatures for Piano

2000-2001

This composition was inspired after hours spent analyzing the serial compositions of the composers Webern, Schoenberg, and Berg. Drawing matrix after matrix, reconstructing the tone rows of their compositions, I was struck with their similarity to the fabric pattern, plaid. If plaid sounded like a 12 tone matrix, what would be the sound of polka dots? Each succeeding miniature was an attempt to recreate, in aural terms, the visual or emotional concept conveyed by the title. This composition is dedicated, with appreciation, to my piano teacher, Deborah Beers, Associate Chair, Piano, Longy School of Music.

Heather Gilligan, piano