Lights in the Night for violin and orchestra

Lights in the Night is written for solo violin and orchestra. This piece consists of three movements, inspired by three different kinds of "nightscapes". The overall structure of the piece follows a traditional three-movement form (slow-fast-slow), and each movement has its own distinctive formal design, which derives from the narrative of the movement. The first movement, Midnight Snow, is characterized by a struggle between opposing musical elements: the shimmering light of falling snow and the frightening darkness of midnight. The following movement, City of Blinding Lights, represents the impression of a huge city at night--full of people and buildings, covered with colorful, bright lights. The final movement, Aurora, is inspired by my imaginary trip to Scandinavia, and the fantastic colors of Aurora Borealis. This movement also reprises specific musical themes from the previous movements, creating a sense of unity to the piece as a whole and bringing the work to its climax.