Program Note:

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Friday night, I crushed the moon.
Stardust scatters into a river.
Monday morning, I swallowed a cloud.
Dim light stains my hair gray.

- Yangfan Xu, 2026

 

Recently, I have become fascinated with photography. After finding a long-lost film camera while unpacking from a move, I began carrying it with me on walks and taking photographs of the sky. Nature has always been one of my deepest sources of inspiration, but photography has offered me a new way of observing it. As the days passed, the skies I photographed began appearing in my dreams and daydreams. The boundary between observation and imagination started to blur. Moons dissolved into dust. Clouds became something tangible enough to hold, swallow, or transform. The poem above emerged from these surreal images. 
Written for The Emerging Composers Intensive (ECI) 2026, I Lay Stardust Across the Water is inspired by those moments of wonder, imagination, and quiet reflection found while looking up at the sky.
I dedicated this piece to my cat Logan who passed away on June 30, 2026. Logan spent many nights beside me while I sketched this piece, and I never imagined it would become his memorial. I imagine laying his stardust across the sparkling water, filled with the dusty reflections of the moon. I imagine Logan floating above the water, staring at the moon. Watching birds was his favorite activity. We moved to a new home by the water in April, and he spent the happiest last two months of his life watching birds, especially seagulls. Coincidentally, I used so many bird sounds in this piece. I believe this piece would have been his favorite composition. 

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Duration: 8 minutes

 

Recording: Recording is available upon request

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Score and Parts: Available for rental or purchase directly from the composer.

Performance History:

• World Premiere: Emerging Composers intensive Concert, July 4th, 2026 at Hidden Valley Music Seminars, Carmel Valley, CA