Program Note

Being a Michigan native, the Great Lakes played a formative role in my life. Though I often took them for granted when I was young, I grew to love the natural world in my early 20s largely through Michigan’s lakes, rivers, and trees. During the warm months, I spend as much time as I can afford walking the trails in our new home of Vermont—it’s rejuvenating, awe-inspiring, powerful, and in many ways a sacred act. For me, one of the most amazing things about hiking the same trails and seeing the same mountains for several years is that they’re different each time you encounter them. Depending on the time of the year, the time of day, the weather, and even your mood, the sun can shine differently on even the most familiar peaks and valleys. I still feel the same sense of wonder when I’m lucky enough to spend an evening in Northern Michigan watching the sun set over the lake. When Pat Ruddy approached me about writing a piece to celebrate Harbor Springs, its young musicians, and especially its supportive community, I was flattered and excited to write a piece that reflected all of those experiences. This piece is a celebration of nature, but especially the lakes in my home state of Michigan. “And then the sun” is the title of a poem by Stephen Connolly that speaks to the sun’s power to wake us from daily life and notice the beauty that’s all around.