These dark notes drifting takes its title from a poem by the 9th Century poet Li-Po. Inspired by a Chinese folk tune, the piece evokes distant flutes, coloured by the sounds that one might hear across a valley at night in the spring.

Spring Night in Lo-Yang hearing a flute
In what house, the jade flute that sends these dark notes drifting,
Scattering on the spring wind that fills Lo-Yang?
Tonight if we should hear the willow-breaking song,
Who could help but long for the gardens of home?

The dark notes drifting was written for the Music X Festival, Blonay, Switzerland [June -July 2010], and originally composed for 2 flutes (doubling alto, piccolo), percussion (vibraphone, 2 small gongs, woodblock) and piano. First performance by Tim Munro, Pethrus Gardborn, Jeremy Malvin and Erika Dohi on the 30th of June 2010, Bartok Hall, Hindemith Foundation, Blonay, Switzerland.

Arranged for 2 flutes and piano for Catherine Lum Peterson.

Instrumentation: Flute doubling Alto Flute, Flute doubling Piccolo, & Piano.