Composer’s Note:

Gemstone was written for violinist Catherine Tait, and togetherwe gave the premiere performance in the summer of 1979.Catherine performed the piece numerous times thereafter, oftenwith pianist Anne Epperson. This was happening during a time ofmuch change in our lives and work. Catherine and I married in1980, moved twice to our new faculty positions at Illinois andEastman, and endured the years of the illness that preceded herdeath at the age of 44. The piece – Gemstone – had been packedaway during one of the moves, its pride of place taken by laterand what I then thought of as more worthy efforts. Or perhaps itwas just too personal for either of us. Now, unexpectedly, itappeared. A sealed box was opened, and there it was.