written for Amanda Staab

Premiered at the National Young Composers Challenge "Composium 13" at the Dr. Phillips Center in Orlando Florida on April 10th 2022

Benjamin Lieser, horn; Hannah Sun Ripert, Piano

Duration: 7 minutes

Program Notes:

Altitude is a love letter to the mountains of Colorado, USA during the wintertime. Thousands of people pass through constantly evolving roads that pierce the sides of the mountains to visit ski resorts. These roads are unmistakably dangerous but at the same time provide the most beautiful scenery. As you navigate twists and turns, the perception of the world around you is rapidly transforming - but this same tension remains constant. At ski resorts, there is similar energy, constantly going up the mountain on ski lifts suspended above the ground and right back down but instead this time flying through the snowy landscape. While there is a threat of danger, the mountains provide some of the most breathtaking views and thrilling experiences that pertain to nature. In this piece, I attempted to capture this danger, excitement, beauty, and especially the extremely directional nature of the mountains.