nacreous

for violin & cello

2021

the title of this piece, nacreous, refers to the occurrence of iridescent nacreous clouds, a rare and beautiful phenomenon that occurs in extremely cold temperatures in the far north. the phenomenon is caused by the diffraction of sunlight as it passes through tiny ice crystals in the sky, leading to a display of a smear of opalescent pastel colors streaking across the sky. however, these clouds are actually indicative of the damage that has been done to the ozone layer, and their presence further contributes to the destruction of the ozone. this short piece acts as a reflection on this simultaneity of beauty and destruction.

this piece was composed for members of the 4 Corners Ensemble in 2021.