Specks of Earth is a collection of choral miniatures that use poetry from Rabindranath Tagore’s work Stray Birds, a collection of 326 short poems. This work captures Tagore’s observations and fascinations with the simplicity of nature and life. Vivid language elicits a burst of imagery that is translated into a programmatic tapestry of sounds. Each movement sets a different fragment of the poem. From fluttering birds and rustling leaves to shadow’s submission, and the eternity of love, each movement is crafted to imitate and capture these vivid portraits. The eighth movement, Fields, is the only miniature that does not use any of Tagore’s poetry, but instead uses breathing and broad, expansive structures in the piano to create a spacious soundscape. Duration: 11:45