Runaway Slinky

ensemble solo violin
written fall 2025
duration 3 minutes

Commissioned by Keila Wakao

This short encore is an exploration of a propulsive, chromatic idea that first appeared in my head years ago: an unstable, mixed-meter dance flitting from high to low. The motif conjured up the image of a worn-out, well-loved slinky wriggling down a flight of stairs. I thought about the relationships we have to old toys and how they take on shades of nostalgia, innocence, and simple fun the more time goes on - and so, these ideas informed the piece as well.

Many thanks to Keila Wakao for requesting and breathing life into it.