I am looking out the window and, as this last Saturday comes to a close, I realize my heart is filled with gratitude. After five and a half weeks in residence enjoying the company of wonderful fellows and staff whom I now gratefully call my friends, I can honestly say that, Civitella is not only a sublime and timeless enclave, but a universe that has grown in me like a new set of ears, like a truly inspirational state of mind. In this vast and generous landscape, nature’s silence encounters human beauty and creativity in many unexpected ways. As a composer, I know that Civitella has detonated everlasting musings and sonic images that are now part and parcel of my musical self. I shall treasure these gifts forever.