Program Note:

Composed for Longleash Ensemble for the 2023 Loretto Project, "Saghat" in the Tatar language can mean time, a clock, an hour, or a moment. The piece is dedicated to renowned composer Kaija Saariaho, following the news of her passing. It is also the first piece I wrote after being diagnosed with colon cancer, during which I began to deeply appreciate the value of time and every moment of it. This piece is based on a recording of a piano improvisation I performed, serving as a respectful nod to the inspiration that had struck me in that exact moment of time.