Performed live on May 13th, 2023 as part of Christopher Keach's first Doctoral Recital.

Snowscapes by Hope Salmonson

I. Flurries

II. Footprints

III. Festus

Keach Hopkins Duo

Piano, Alex Shafirov

Program Notes:

Hope Salmonson, born in 1999, is a tubist and composer from unceded Mi'kmaq territory (Halifax, NS). Her approach to composition embodies musical joy, placing equal emphasis on elegant composition and camaraderie onstage. Her work, Snowscapes, was written in 2022, and commissioned by Christopher Keach and Margaret Hopkins.

Salmonson describes Snowscapes as, “...three common scenes of a wintry environment: Flurries blowing through the wind, heralding an oncoming storm; Footsteps left behind by unknown travellers, telling a story in their journey; and Festus, a raucous celebration of life and love amid such conditions. In this double concerto, the players evoke the many conflicting feelings such a season can bring—though the sun goes down sooner, the moon on the snow will still light the way.”

This is the world premiere performance of Hope Salmonson’s Snowscapes.