I’ve finally had enough “down time” while on my trips to Champaign-Urbana to stop and ponder the rapturous charm of the region. As a composer, I’m interested in seeing everything… the vastness of the prairie from afar, half-eaten ears of corn still nestled in their dried-out stalks, an old wood and wire fence in a pasture, a recently plowed cornfield that’s catching the last rays of sunlight, sculptures embedded in a grassy field, an alley filled with brightly colored graffiti… beauty and complexity surround us everywhere. As a composer, I draw my inspiration for new works from a wide range of sources. Often, where I’ve been and what I’ve been doing find their way into future musical compositions. Who knows how these images and memories of this region will manifest in my music?
Here are a few of my favorite pictures that I’ve taken on recent trips. Enjoy!
