Duration: 11:00
Instrumentation: string quartet
Year: 2024

Commissioned by Del Sol Quartet
Premiered by Del Sol Quartet at Chamberfest 2025

About the work:

I was drawn to the idea of writing a toccata, a traditional Baroque keyboard form, for the 21st-century string quartet: paying homage to the energy and virtuosity associated with the genre while reimagining what a toccata can mean in a new context. Historically, the term has been used for music characterized by a free, improvisatory style, virtuosic passages, and an emphasis on the performer’s “touch.” I wanted to explore these ideas through the unique colors, textures, and expressive possibilities of the string quartet.

The last work I wrote for Del Sol Quartet, Prelude, was slow, dark, and introspective, lingering on chords in the way that we linger on heavy emotions. With Toccata, I wanted to create something fiery and virtuosic while still embracing the emotional depth that always seems to find its way into my music.