I. Stillness and Change

II. Images of Departure

III. Songs from the Wild Iris

IV. Reciprocal Accord

• Andrew Rehig, flutes

• Bill Kalinkos, clarinets

• Curtis Macomber, violin

• Chris Finckel, cello

• Stephen Gosling, piano

• Samuel Solomon, percussion

• Mark Holloway, viola

• Jo Ellen Miller, soprano

• Bill Kalinkos, clarinet

• East Coast Contemporary Ensemble, Matthias Pintscher

Composer John Aylward has established himself as a distinctive voice in contemporary music, recognized internationally for both his artistry and innovation. His many honors include the prestigious Goddard Lieberson Fellowship from the American Academy of Arts and Letters, a Fulbright Grant, and First Prize from the International Society for Contemporary Music. Aylward’s music has been widely praised for its rhythmic vitality, formal rigor, and lyrical depth, and his works are performed regularly across the United States and abroad.

Beyond his compositional achievements, Aylward is deeply committed to fostering new music communities. He serves on the faculty at Clark University, where he mentors young composers, and is the founder of the East Coast Contemporary Ensemble as well as the Etchings Festival, both of which provide platforms for adventurous new works and collaborative exploration.

This recording highlights some of Aylward’s finest chamber compositions. It features a song cycle inspired by the poetry of Louise Glück, whose texts resonate with his expressive musical language; a duo for violin and cello that showcases his sensitivity to instrumental dialogue; and Stillness and Change, a large chamber ensemble work that embodies his fascination with structure, transformation, and atmosphere. Together, these pieces affirm Aylward’s place as a composer of vision and resonance.