Reflections of a Dream
REFLECTIONS OF A DREAM (2024)
for clarinet and string quartet · ca. 6 minutes
Instrumentation: Clarinet, 2 Violins, Viola, Cello
PROGRAM NOTE
Reflections of a Dream is structured in three sections, each exploring a different aspect of the dreaming process.
The opening evokes a spontaneous, surreal dance — off-kilter and otherworldly. The middle section intensifies with irregular rhythms, unexpected accents, and meter shifts, mirroring the vivid, unpredictable turns of dreams. The final section begins serenely, but mounting tension and chromaticism soon return; the pace gradually slows as the music dissolves, resembling the awakening from a dream: reality follows, for better or worse.
PREMIERE & PERFORMANCES
World Premiere: Tanglewood on Parade, Boston University Tanglewood Institute (2024)
Performers: Henry Golden (clarinet), Lucy Hartzler-Beachy (violin I), Jenny Thomas (violin II), Grady Flinn (viola), Uma Rohatgi (cello)
Conductor: Martin Amlin
Additional Performance: Tianjin Juilliard Graduation Recital, Tianjin Juilliard Concert Hall (2025)
Performers: Patrick Yulin Liu (clarinet), Kuiran Wang (violin I), Shannon Cheng (violin II), Terry Zhong (viola), Eric Guo (cello)
Conductor: Niccolò Athens
