My idea to write Island Universe was generated by two major streams of inspiration. The first after seeing a sculpture exhibition at the Institute of Contemporary Art in Boston created by artist Josiah McElheny in which he depicts four large "mobile-like galaxies" created from glass and wire suspended from the ceiling. The scale and detail of these forms was both beautiful and thought provoking. Included in the written information about the exhibition were four quotations about the universe. It was from these quotations that the inspiration for each movement of my piece were drawn and these ideas were used to help me create the musical fabric and form of the piece.
