Circles - Reflection

About Circles – Reflection: Circles – Reflection is a piano piece that explores ambiguity through harmony and rhythm. Listeners will likely hear influences from Erik Satie's Gymnopédies. I have always appreciated his willingness to take time with his melodies, allowing them to unfold as much through the use of silence as through sound. I'm also influenced by his use of melodic ambiguity, especially as it relates to minor scales. I also hear an influence from Chopin's Prelude No. 4, particularly in the dense chromatic harmonies that create descending lines throughout the piece. As these lines weave through the texture, the harmony continually shifts, creating an intentionally unsatisfied feeling. It's a circle—there really is no beginning or end. Underlying much of this work is a two-against-three polyrhythm, a motor that appears throughout many of my compositions. This motor creates a gentle pull between competing rhythmic perspectives and contributes to the sense of ambiguity that runs through the piece. Performed by pianist Michael Lenahan, Circles – Reflection was recorded on March 5, 2026, at the UT Butler School of Music Recording Studio and was made possible by a grant from the Rainwater Foundation. Circles - Reflection Composed by Joel Laviolette Performed by Michael Lenahan March 5th, 2026 at the UT Butler School Recording Studio Engineered by Elise Etherton Videographer by Andrew Stoltz Mastered by Nick Landis Mixed and produced by Joel Laviolette (c) (p) Joel Laviolette Publishing