In This Short Life

April - July 2026 (for clarinet, violin, and piano)

Written for and premiered by Graeme Steele Johnson, Tien-Hsin Cindy Wu, and Henry Kramer on Jully 5th, 2026 at Emerging Composers Intensive.

In this short life

That only lasts an hour

How much — how little — is

Within our power.

- Emily Dickinson

Inspired by Dickinson’s brief poem, this piece reflects my frequent meditation on the brevity of human life and the fragility of time. What begins as jagged, anxious, and fragmented—as though relentlessly pursued by the menacing ticking of a clock—gradually transforms into a journey toward celebratory convinction. In embracing the fleeting nature of existence, the music turns toward the intentional appreciation of the present moment: loved ones, dreams worth chasing, and the imperfections and ordinary rhythms of daily life. And if you’re willing to pause and look closely, these seemingly small things reveal so much magic and light.

RECORDING COMING IN SEPTEMBER!