Program Notes:

Embarras was written for my friends in my piano sextet at EIU. In the Fall of 2025, we had formed to perform Poulenc’s Sextet, and I had thought to write something to pair along with it. The music is heavily lyrical and smooth, as it was inspired by the water in the Embarras River. I had been listening and playing a lot of water music during this time, like Ravel and Liszt’s Jeux d’eau, these pieces directly inspired my own writing.

Thank you to my amazing friends and performers:

Flute - Elizabeth Rickfelder Oboe -

Ethan Schobernd Bb Clarinet -

Addison Willis Horn -

Karina Herrera Zambrano

Bassoon - Jay Dawson

(I played the piano part!)