The Trio, like my Seven Runic Songs (for viola, guitar and harp), betrays both my respect for and fear of the famous Sonata for flute, viola and harp of Claude Debussy. Probably no other single work in history has been as responsible as the Sonata for creating an entirely new genre of music. And while my love of the harp in chamber music in combination with a stringed and a wind instrument is unwavering, I find myself continuing to dance around the original Sonata combination.

In any case, my trio is a simple, lyrical work with no pretense to anything more than the celebration of clean lines and classical forms. It is an unusual work for me in this regard, as I am a Romantic at heart, tending more toward the large gesture than the introspective statement. But from time to time one needs to withdraw to a simpler, quieter place. I wrote the Trio in such a state of mind, and it remains a piece for which I have a great deal of affection.