Composer’s Note:

Winter Rites was written during a 2007 — 2008 winter residency in the Leighton Studios at the Banff Arts Centre, in Alberta, Canada. All of the melodic and harmonic material of the work is derived from a single melodic cell, heard in its entirety only in the middle movement in the solo cello part. Each movement receives its title from a Druid ritual performed during the festival of mid-winter. The three-movement work is performed without pause. The work was commissioned for Caryl Gompper by her husband Karl and son David.