1. If Stars Could Speak

2. Wind Chimes

3. Groove

4. Like Leaves in the Wind

5. To the Late Night

6. Music Box Dreams

7. Lyric Flow

8. Blues

If Stars Could Speak is a collection of 8 pieces for left hand piano, commissioned by Nariaki Sugiura. When I first began composing this music, I felt terribly constrained. However, after spending many hours exploring the keyboard with my left hand, I began seeing it as a different instrument, with charms and musical attributes of its own. The pieces span a variety of character, from brief, poetic vignettes (If Stars Could Speak, Wind Chimes, Music Box Dreams) to flowing, lyrical pieces (Like Leaves in the Wind, Lyric Flow) to jazz-inspired compositions (Groove, To the Late Night, Blues).

I feel a special debt of gratitude to Nariaki Sugiura for his initiative in commissioning this piece; it gave me an opportunity to explore new musical territory while offering repertory to a unique group of musicians. Igor Stravinsky once said “The more constraints one imposes, the more one frees oneself of the chains that shackle the spirit.” This project brought challenges, discoveries, and many new perspectives.

Bruce Stark