From the composer

“THE ALPHABET was written using a 9-note scale derived from the word ‘AIDS’. Every 9-½ minutes, someone in the United States is infected with HIV, the virus that causes AIDS. Approximately 4000 people worldwide acquire HIV every day. I wrote this piece to channel the journey of AIDS from despair to cautious hope. From misinformation and misunderstanding to more awareness and empathy. These nine chromatic pitches are displaced in sporadic and broken gestures. The ascending structure of these gestures is the musical equivalent of striving towards a universal mystery. When finally, a complete scale is realized.”