The Salish Sea
This piece started with my love for Whidbey Island—especially Deception Pass. I’ve always felt a kind of magic driving over the bridge, hiking around the island, and wandering the beaches. One of my favorite spots is the top of Goose Creek Rock; it’s always felt like home in a way. This place has inspired me in so many ways.
But this piece isn’t really about me. It’s about the place itself, about the people who make it special, and about the land and waters that have shaped generations. I wanted to honor the Coast Salish peoples, for whom this is home, who know this land and sea far more intimately than I ever could. I dove into Coast Salish culture and the work of the Salish Sea Institute, which studies and protects the Salish Sea while helping people understand its ecological and cultural importance. Learning about the history, the stories, and the deep connection people have with this water shaped the music and the story I wanted to tell.
The photos below are from my own collection.
Composition & Structure
Part I : The Sea (Theme)
The first section opens with a broad, flowing theme representing the Sea. I wanted it to evoke both the motion of waves hitting the shore and the way Coast Salish communities view the water as life-giving and sacred. In their traditions, people often describe themselves as being “married to the sea,” inspired by legends like that of a maiden who weds the Sea itself.
Part II : The Storm
The second section grows turbulent and intense, reflecting the sea’s unpredictable power. Darker harmonies and shifting rhythms suggest sudden squalls, storm, surge, and waves in the channels. This movement draws on Salish tales of the sea’s risks, including the legend of Sheshuq’um, an enormous octopus spirit at Octopus Point said to drag unwary canoeists under the waves
Part III : Chorale
The third section returns to the theme of the sea as a chorale, bringing a sense of peace after the storm. Gentle, flowing music mirrors the clearing of the waves, with the opening theme transforming and settling into the water. It feels like the sea itself carries the music away, washing the tension out to the deep, clean water, and leaving a sense of calm and renewal, much as the Salish people teach that the ocean can restore balance and bring new life.
