Stoop Scenes is overall representative of what one may see from sitting on a porch stoop, reminiscent of childhood experiences. The first movement, Bucolic Gusts, is spring-like and energetic with lots of peaks and valleys. The second movement, Opalescent Breezeway, is colder than the first. Icicles hang down and life has slowed. The third and final movement, Nematocerous Cloud, violently wakes up from the slumber of the previous movement into a swarm of fast-moving insects. The term “nematocerous” means having long thread-like antennae and is derived from the Latin word “Nematocera” which is a biological suborder that includes many gnats and mosquitoes. The accents shift throughout the piece as a swarm of gnats might suddenly change direction, finding new space to explore.

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