The title First Light refers to the arrival of dawn – specifically the composer’s experience of dawn in the mountains surrounding Lake Garda in northern Italy. There, the light of the sun arrives in distinct stages: the night sky begins to brighten quite early, though the sun remains hidden behind the mountains for several hours. Abruptly, the first direct ray of sunlight crests the mountaintop, bringing with it intense, palpable heat. The town below, nestled in the narrow space between the water’s edge and the steep mountain slope, remains in darkness for a while longer, until the sun ultimately sends light cascading down the mountainside, illuminating everything. (Grade 5) Dur: 8:30