The Burning Walls of Leslie Gulch

Program Notes The Burning Walls of Leslie Gulch is a sonic postcard of one of eastern Oregon’s most striking landscapes. Towering pink and orange rhyolite cliffs rise dramatically from the canyon floor, carved by time into narrow slot canyons and jagged spires. The opening music introduces the vastness of the Gulch, while bright colors and layered textures suggest shifting light on stone. The mallet percussion often mirrors the tall, angular cliffs, adding shimmer and verticality to the soundscape. A contrasting second theme represents the western juniper trees that dot the rugged terrain—resilient, grounded, and quietly expressive. Written in a clear sonata form, the piece unfolds through an introduction, exposition, development, and recapitulation, with a creative merging of the A and B themes before a confident coda. Together, these elements invite young performers and listeners alike to imagine standing within the “burning walls” of Leslie Gulch, surrounded by color, space, and enduring beauty.