Piano Composers Group performers this night were (left to right) Ted Holmes, David Erskine, Dwight Stone, David Thomas Robert, Paul Hansen, Annie Nalezny, Mary Ellen Callahan, Bruce Nalezny, leader Christopher Johnson. This was our first concert since covid began. Photo by Sheryl Lawry.

Hi Friends,
I hadn't been able to compose anything over the last 9 months— I would go to the keyboard and nothing would come out! (I guess the sadness of the times and work stresses).

Fellow composer Christopher Johnson helped shake me out of my funk by forcing me to improvise at his keyboard when I visited him at Sea Ranch in June. Then a couple weeks later in July this melody popped into my head when i was watching TV and i quickly went to the piano to preserve it. I ended up playing for a long time-- so long that the lights on the automatic timer clicked out.

Sheryl came into the livingroom and said "Did you know that you are playing in the dark?"— gosh, how did she already know the title of the piece?

This piece is a romp-- exuberance alternating with more measured lyrical passages. In places it's on the edge of what my fingers can do (but good to always challenge oneself).

(Digital recorder was placed casually placed on carpet near edge of piano, underneath.)