Performances: Approximately 15 times, by Colorado, Liric, Serafin String Quartets, at the National Gallery (Washington, DC), West Chester University, Soundfest Summer Music Program (Cape Cod, Mass.), Constitution Center (Philadelphia). Also (12/2/09), by Corigliano String Quartet, at West Chester University, Community Series at Swarthmore House,Swarthmore, Chamber Music NOW! (Philadelphia), Wilmington (DE)

The composer writes: SONGBOOK FOR ANNAMARIA was composed before, during and immediately after the adoption of our daughter, Annamaria LaSalle Maggio. Each movement is based on an old popular tune that provides further insight into its meaning (e.g., the hard-driving work ethic of the railroad song, on which “…all the live long day” is based, suggests the round- the-clock duties of the parent). These songs are personal favorites of mine: some of them my parents sang to me when I was a child, and some of them I sang to Annamaria. The first movement, “we’re bound away…” tracks the excited beginnings of our journey into parenthood. The second movement, “when you wake…” is both a tender lullaby for Annamaria, and a gentle farewell to my grandmother, Marie Basili who slowly vanished from Alzheimer’s. “jimmy crack corn…” is a playful, intense scherzo; it was a favorite of my dad and his two brothers. “… all the live long day” is a passacaglia, whose repetitive rhythmic motion was inspired by the never-ending responsibilities and the boundless love I found in fatherhood.