for wind ensemble

Starshine was inspired by the awe and apprehension I feel about outer space and all that it may contain. The piece tells the story of a lonely soul, portrayed by the solo bassoon line, trapped in a small spacecraft adrift in space, uncertain about where they are going, pondering the meaning of existence and why we are all here. Our friend then begins to encounter objects near and far in space, some beautiful and wondrous and others terrifying, until finally they come upon a planet and are forced to land. The planet is a lush, vibrant place, but has challenges of its own. The lost soul eventually repairs the spacecraft and is able to ignite the engines, desperately pushing away from the planet until they find themselves in space again. After the experience on the planet, our friend has found some answers and has realized that other questions must be left unanswered as they marvel at the beauty and mystery of the universe around them.