Thundersprites

Approximate Grade Level - 3 Duration - 4’ Written - 2026

Commissioned by Alfredo Cordova and the Tony Hillerman Middle School Band

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Take a moment sometime to look up images of the electrical phenomenon known as a Red Sprite. They are large electric discharges that can occur high above thunderstorm clouds. They appear as red-orange flashes and are, at least in my opinion, fantastically beautiful. They were only photographed for the first time in 1989 and we still do not understand what causes them. We only know they are related to lightning. In this piece, “Thundersprites,” I have tried to musically capture the beauty, mystery, and unpredictability of this rare and beautiful weather phenomenon.