Episode in the Life of a Proton (1986)

Episode in the Life of a Proton (1986) won first prize in the International League of Women Composers Competition (6 min.). It was premiered by Abraham Stokman at the Chicago Cultural Center and has been performed internationally by Jeffery Jacobs including South Africa.

Episode in the Life of a Proton was inspired by a visit to the Proton Linear Accelerator in Los Alamos, New Mexico. I have tried to capture the idea in musical space that as a beam of protons move faster and faster they become heavier and heavier (developmental idea). When the proton beam reaches 92% of the speed of light, the beam hits a lead wall (climax) and the proton beam disintegrates into many smaller particles (outcome).