premiered by the composer, May 7th, 2023

ROLLING WAVES aims to capture the strength of the ocean, how the tide ebbs and flows, and how it can show no mercy. Growing up surrounded by water, I was inspired by my fondness and respect for the sea to write this piece. Themes of the ocean’s simplicity and steadiness are shown throughout the music through the left hand’s arpeggiation and the push-and-pull nature of the melody. Black key cluster chords signify mother nature’s wrath through disasters such as tsunamis, hurricanes, or typhoons.

From Thomas’s Program Note