Frederick - Extinction Studies #3 for Piano Trio
Premiered 07-19-2025 by Trio Kanon.
I'd like to give a huge thank you to Trio Kanon to the wonderful performance of this piece, which was made possible through the High Score festival.
This is the third piece in the set titled “Extinction Studies”, a set which includes pieces written about species of plants and animals native to North America which have gone extinct. This piece is dedicated to the Carolina Parakeet, a bird native to the region of the Southern Appalachian Mountains, in Southeast America. This brightly colored bird was about 12 inches long and resembled parrots. The Carolina Parakeet population declined in the 1800s when they were hunted for sport, brightly colored feathers, and to protect crops. The last living specimen died in captivity in 1918. These birds were described as having a harsh or unpleasant screech. These birds were also reported to be curious, flocking around gunshots as opposed to scattering. Both elements are utilized in the composition of this piece.