Boulder Park Gallop

For Oboe/English Horn, Violin, Viola, and Cello Quartet

Grade Level: 5

Length: 4′

Available August 2026

Program Notes

Boulder Park Gallop was inspired during a trail run through Boulder Park, a rugged alpine basin nestled in the Eagle Cap Wilderness of northeastern Oregon. Written in September 2025, this four-minute work for oboe/English horn, violin, viola, and cello captures the exhilaration of swift footfalls on dusty paths and the awe of vast wilderness unfolding at every turn. Set in a decisive Allegro in 6/8 time, the piece gallops forward with determined energy, evoking both physical motion and the thrill of high-altitude adventure.

Structured in sonata form, the music unfolds with momentum and purpose. At measure 17, the cello introduces a noble, heroic theme: a tribute to the strength and perseverance demanded by the trail. The darker tones of the cello also portray Boulder Park’s deep, beautiful forests, grounding the work in the earthy stillness found beneath towering firs. Above this foundation, the English horn rises like the glinting white granite peaks, its tone broad and open against the sky. Textural colors further illuminate the landscape: shimmering string harmonics conjure radiant blue skies stretching endlessly overhead, while gentle violin and viola con sordino bloom like vibrant red fireweed along the trail. The streams that thread through the basin appear in sparkling staccato oboe figures and quick descending string scales—fleeting, playful, and crystal clear.

True to its title, the journey concludes with a sudden, dramatic finish, as if the runner crests the final ridge and disappears beyond view. Composed for the Grande Ronde Symphony Oboe quartet, Boulder Park Gallop is both a celebration of wild terrain and a tribute to the human spirit that seeks it.