Highland Suite (1996)
36 minutes



 Echoes from the Past: The land, people and heritage of the Scots-Irish in Southern Appalachia. (*3-*3-2-2) (4-3-3-1) (timp + 4) Stgs.  6 min.

Appalachian Lament: A haunting nocturne for strings and solo horn.   6 min.

Celebration: A gathering of fiddlers, singers and dancers on a Saturday night in Southern Appalachia. (*3-*3-2-2) (4-3-3-1) (T+4) Stgs   8 min.


The mountains of North Carolina occupy a special place in my heart. It is more than just the beauty and grandeur of the Southern Appalachians, from the Blue Ridge to the Great Smokies. It is also the people---their culture and customs, folklore and music. On my countless visits to the mountains of N.C., I always return with body, mind and spirit refreshed and uplifted.

Highland Suite was not fueled by a commission, but rather grew out of a love for the Southern Appalachians and its people. Composed during 1995-96, it is a 6 movement piece, 45 minutes in length, that musically depicts the majesty of the mountains and culture of its Scots-Irish settlers. All of the music is original but is infused with some of the rhythmic cadences and modes that are prevalent in Appalachian folk music.

When composing the music, I had intended for some of the movements to stand by themselves in performance.  Echoes from the Past (movt.II), Appalachian Lament (movt.III), and Celebration (movt.V) have been performed either separately or together many times by the N.C. Symphony, as well as by several other orchestras. The other movements, (Dawn movt. I), Intermezzo (movt. IV), and Nightfall (movt. VI), are currently awaiting revision and cuts. My goal is to present the entire work as a shorter symphonic suite (35-40 min.), or quite possibly a ballet.