PROGRAM NOTES:  Continental Drift

While the theory of Continental Drift has been disproven and replaced by the theory of Plate Tectonics, the idea of continents floating apart from a once unified land mass (Pangaea) was an appealing idea to base a piece around. Each of the movements - Divergent; Slipping; and Convergent - are based on a type of movement that occurs as our earth moves. The movement of tectonic plates is obviously very violent and jarring in nature. In thinking about composing this piece, I made a conscious decision not to try to represent this massive force in the music, but rather use the type of motions of these tectonic processes in shaping the musical ideals.



Continental Drift was commissioned in 2015 by Peter Sheridan, and was recorded on the CD "Continental Drift" by Judy d'Aux and Peter Sheridan.

--- Peter Senchuk