Aaron Alter

Imagine that you're starting a relationship in 2020 at the height of the COVID-19 Pandemic.  You can't meet in person, so you have to use various electronic means of communication as a workaround.  Then a year later, you're able to meet in person for the first time.  First Time Meeting for Clarinet, Violin, ‘Cello and Piano captures that excitement of meeting someone in person for the first time after suffering from the restrictions of the Pandemic. The music ranges from animated, to tender, dramatic and passionate.

First Time Meeting has the same instrumentation as Messiaen's "Quartet for the End of Time," so if you are an ensemble that is playing Messiaen's work, First Time Meeting would be a great addition to the program, either to begin the concert, or as an encore.

First Time Meeting received its world premiere in New York by the Unheard-of//Ensemble on Saturday, October 16, 2021 as part of the Composers Concordance "Generations X" concert at the Bernie Wohl Center in collaboration with Goddard Riverside Community Arts. Below is the video of that performance.