Haleakala Suite for String Quartet

Since my last posting I have been working on changing keys in the piece.   My first thought was to incorporate key changes into some existing compositions, but I was unsuccessful. The pieces were written that way and it proved impossible (for me) to introduce this without changing the entire mood and feel. Perhaps at a later date when I have more experience (and confidence).

I decided, then, that I had no alternative but to write something new and practice key changes in this.   As it happens, at this time I went on vacation to Maui and the in the morning I played at composition with key changes and in the afternoon I played tourist.   This didn't start out as a 'Haleakala Suite' - it just ended up that way.

So this piece is in three parts. 

The first part describes waking up to roosters and bird calls; Sitting on the balcony listing to the birds, the wind, the surf; Walking down to the beach and seeing turtles that had hauled themselves out of the water for a snooze.

The second part describes the trip up to Haleakala Crater. It starts as a normal drive but goes up up up and the last few kilometers (miles) were (for me) a vertiginous nightmare. I would do it again though.

The third part describes the first views of the crater, then the vista opens up.  The wind, the light, the shadow; The silence; Walking down the trail; The mist rolling in and changing everything.  Finally, a glimpse back as we leave.

It's perhaps a bit melodramatic, but I was enjoying myself.

This sounds really fresh. Something that a young orchestra would love to play!