Bonsai is my first work for solo violin. As a former violinist, I grew up playing movements from Bach’s Sonatas and Partitas; while I was deeply inspired by that repertoire, I was also intimidated by its legacy. For this piece, I decided to draw inspiration from the violinists in my family: my wife, the virtuoso Francesca Anderegg, and my brother, whose love for bonsai trees served as a central decoration at his wedding.

The Asian art form of cultivating miniature trees directly influenced the structure of the work. I wanted the music to feel like a small, intricate tree with branches of material developing into a wondrous tapestry of violin sounds. The opening arpeggios lead to a short, two-voice chorale texture that functions as the "trunk" of the tree, connecting the varying sections of the piece. The music alternates between these arpeggios and rhythmically driving sections before culminating in a virtuosic coda. Ultimately, the piece represents how a family grows and adapts over time through marriage and change, while remaining fundamentally tied to its roots.