On the Threshold of Spring
WIND SYMPHONY | 7’ | GRADE 4 | 2019
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When Spring finally rolls around in Northern Michigan, there's a certain magic in the air. The ice crystals melt off the tree branches, the constant snow transforms into the occasional rain, and the massive snow banks become rivers, feeding the unearthed foliage.
Not to mention the beautiful rays of the sun return after months of cloud-cover. Almost instantaneously, the locals' moods are uplifted. Spring becomes a talking point for weeks, primarily about how everyone is thrilled of its arrival.
However, the transition doesn't come without its difficulties. The warm-but-not-warm-enough temperatures, the potential of dangerous flash floods due to the snow accumulation, the very wet and muddy grounds that come with snow-melt, and everything in between. Underneath it all, though, is the great anticipation of when the season settles; when the region becomes a gateway to the thousands of resorters who come to relax each year.
On the Threshold of Spring is ultimately an homage to the arrival of springtime air in Northern Michigan (although you might hear "second winter" that we so often experience). I love it here, and I hope this piece reflects my joy for the highly anticipated change of seasons.
Commissioned and Premiered by the Northern Symphonic Winds.