Dig (Chloe), from Dog Tales

Dog Tales was commissioned by the Cincinnati new music ensemble Conundrum (Mary Elizabeth Southworth-soprano, Danielle Hundley-flute, Marianne Breneman-clarinet, Philip Amalong-piano) and was premiered by them in November 2009. They are all avid dog lovers and wanted a work that told the stories about their beloved pets.

In setting out to write this work, the members of Conundrum provided me with stories, pictures, and anecdotes about their four-legged friends. I then passed these wonderful collections onto my poet/writer friend Bobbi J. Nicotera who then created the amazing text for this work. What I think is remarkable about the text is it not only captures these dogs in prose, but also speaks of a more universal theme of relationships and our interaction with the world around us, both with our pets and other people. Often sweet and funny, these touching pieces are a testament to the love for man’s best friend and how these relationships positively affect us each day.