Program Note:

Firebox for piano solo exudes the burning energy of a toccata. As the piece developed, I began to see images of trains, chugging or racing along at different speeds through changing terrain. In a steam locomotive, the firebox is the fire chamber that heats the water to produce steam. What a fantastic intensity it takes to power a giant locomotive and its cars!

It had been a while since I had the chance to write a piano solo, and I had a blast exploring techniques, such as the cross-hand technique that became a central feature of the piece. I composed Firebox for my dear friend Jordan Waller on the occasion of her Master’s Recital at the University of Louisville in Louisville, Kentucky.