Portraits of Florence - Challenges & Discoveries

When I wrote Last Dance, Florence wasn’t in my mind. Yet, in a spark of serendipity, the moment it was finished, the piece spoke to me of a deeply personal, future moment that will mark the end of my stay in Florence. That work became the catalyst for an entire collection: Portraits of Florence. Each composition in this album is a tribute to the city—a soundtrack to the moments that have shaped my time here. Yet, creating these musical portraits was no easy task.

The process required me to tune into my subconscious and kinesthetic responses to each subject. The challenge was not only to honor Florence’s rich history and culture but also to express my personal truth about it. These works had to reflect my authentic reactions, as opposed to popular conceptions. As a result, Portraits of Florence became a deeply introspective endeavor, one that demanded both self-perception and honesty.

Balancing the Monumental with the Intimate

One of the greatest challenges in this project was grappling with the weight of Florence’s history. Its iconic landmarks—the Duomo, the Arno, the city gates—are steeped in centuries of meaning. Setting aside that cultural gravity to focus on my own intimate responses was often daunting. Yet, it was a necessary step to create a collection that felt honest and personal.

For instance, the Arno River was the easiest subject to conceptualize. As a constant presence in my daily life, expressing its gentle flow was inevitable. In contrast, the Duomo presented the opposite challenge. Its overwhelming presence and historical significance made it difficult to uncover an honest, intimate perspective. It took months to settle on an approach for Evening Reverence and weeks longer to translate that vision into music.

From Concept to Composition

Each piece in this collection represents a journey—a leap from initial concept to final composition. Some works, like They Wake at Dawn, felt like they arrived fully formed, as though the music had been waiting for me to release it. Others, like Marini and Standing Watch, required significant technical and emotional effort to realize.

With Marini, the challenge lay in weaving together disparate ideas inspired by Marino Marini’s diverse works. Each section had to stand on its own without tainting the next, while still contributing to a cohesive whole. For Standing Watch, the difficulty was breaking free from embedded archetypes of power and grandeur to instead convey the quiet empathy and gratitude I feel for Florence’s city gates.

A Personal Soundtrack to Florence

Portraits of Florence is more than a collection of compositions; it’s an expression of my subconscious and visceral responses to the city. Each piece forced me to look inward, to find the essence of my connection to that moment and reveal it through music. This introspection has deepened my relationship with the city, enriching my everyday life here.

I hope that listeners will find their own connections in this work. For those who have experienced Florence, perhaps these pieces will evoke memories or offer a new perspective. For those who haven’t yet visited, my hope is that the music will inspire exploration or pique their curiosity.

Through this journey, I’ve come to better understand the two parts of my own creative process: conceptualization and composition. Each piece offered its own challenges and revelations, and ranking these challenges has only deepened my appreciation for the process. I invite you to join me, as we explore this personal soundtrack of my life in Florence. Welcome to Portraits of Florence.