For many years in the 1980’s and 1990’s, I performed as a double bassist with the Flagstaff Festival of the Arts Orchestra during the month of July. Flagstaff, AZ, at 7000 ft., is idyllic in July and the festival was held in conjunction with a music camp on the campus of Northern Arizona University. The schedule offered ample opportunity to hike and spend time in nature, and also left me with a lot of time to write music.

The Sketches were written during the festival in 1989. I also wrote the Alpine Preludes, also for piano, at this time. I was on a roll writing small pieces and was really enjoying myself. These are all good natured pieces. The outer sketches are Trio form, while the second is binary, very simple and unpretentious. I like to think they conjure up a clear and fresh morning on the mountain, with few cares or worries.