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W. S. Merwin's (1927–2019) poetry has been a constant in my adult life. His words bring me comfort in times of anxiety, smiles in times of happiness, and comfort in times of grief. 2020-2021 brought difficult times for all of us, and I once again found myself turning to Merwin's words.
Late one night before a long journey to see my ailing father, I thought of Merwin’s poem, I wake in the dark and remember. I rolled over some of the phrases from the poem: "wake in the dark and remember," “rain journey,” and "listening to the black hour." Lying awake in the dark, listening to the rain, I thought about my father, our time together, and tried to remain grateful for the time we still have.
The concerto is in two movements but played without a break.
I wake in the dark and remember was commissioned by an international consortium of universities led by Damon Talley and Louisiana State University. It is dedicated with great admiration and gratitude to the extraordinary violist Kimberly Sparr.