The Woods

“The Woods” was an original composition, commissioned for the Zodiac Music Festival in Valdeblore, France, July of 2025.

“The Woods” is a three-movement piece that guides listeners through a day in an enchanted forest, where mystical creatures shape the natural world around them. The first movement, “Fairies”, captures the magic of dawn as woodland fairies awaken with the sunrise. Light and fluttering textures evoke their flight through the treetops as they open flowers, stir the animals, and gently coax the forest to life. In the second movement, “Gnomes”, the scene shifts to the forest floor. With earthy rhythms and grounded motifs, this section reflects the industrious gnomes hard at work—building rivers, planting trees, and hammering away at their daily tasks with focus and determination. The final movement, “Dragons”, marks the arrival of night. As the sky darkens, sweeping phrases and powerful harmonies announce the dragons’ ascent. These majestic, nocturnal beings soar overhead, guiding the sun to rest and ushering in the moonlight, bringing a mystical close to the forest’s day.