Recently, while organizing my compositions, I found a handwritten, 26-year-old faxed copy of "The Snowflake Waltz" from The Nutcracker. It was the page I used as a choir member in the 1999 Stamford Center for the Arts performance of Balanchine’s work. I hadn’t seen it in over two decades, but its impact on my life is unforgettable. That Nutcracker, and the incredible kindness of its conductor, set me on the path to becoming a composer. As a high school sophomore, I knew that I wanted to be a ...

Recently, while organizing my compositions, I found a handwritten, 26-year-old faxed copy of "The Snowflake Waltz" from The Nutcracker. It was the page I used as a choir member in the 1999 Stamford Center for the Arts performance of Balanchine’s work. I hadn’t seen it in over two decades, but its impact on my life is unforgettable. That Nutcracker, and the incredible kindness of its conductor, set me on the path to becoming a composer. As a high school sophomore, I knew that I wanted to be a ...