Ever Green is a composition for orchestra in three movements, inspired by the incredible tenacity, resilience and self-renewal of an evergreen tree. Each movement is a musical impression of a key stage in the tree’s growth cycle. The essence of the tree is personified by the solo violin, which emerges from the orchestral texture in the second movement, growing to an almost concerto-like prominence in the third as the tree finds rebirth in seed form.

Just as an evergreen remains rooted and constant while simultaneously teeming with activity under the surface, the music is anchored by drones and relatively static harmony, while bursting with rhythmic and melodic vitality. The overall musical style draws from the modal, drone-based, highly ornamental and heterophonic dance music of my Balkan heritage, which is primarily driven by melody and rhythm. As such, Ever Green is ideally accompanied by dance.