I Mistook the

Smoke for Clouds

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Program Note

As of October 20th, 2018, there were 7,131 wildfires in California. Combined, they burned over 1.5 million acres, causing almost 3 billion dollars in damages, not to mention the lives they have claimed.

Wildlife suffered.

Communities suffered.

California suffered.

I remember waking up and seeing these massive clouds on the horizon. It took me a moment to realize that these were not the traditional clouds we all are familiar with. These were clouds of fire and smoke. The smoke of California’s 7th most destructive wildfire: the Carr Fire. This piece did not begin as my reaction to the Carr Fire, but I quickly found that this piece was about just that. I Mistook the Smoke for Clouds is very much about California's wildfires as a whole.

The piece contemplates how one small moment might lead to something far greater than itself.

Much like a spark.