As I have been going on my own journey of writing solo piano music, I have been following a fantastical fairy. She has taken me on a musical journey, the most recent stop of which is at a cave of enchanted secrets. She has come to find and face the magical mirror (soon to come). But what else will she find around the dark corners?

I imagined the feel of suspense and curiosity she felt. Maybe even some fear. I think she was more afraid of the infamous magical mirror, but her quest is to seek it out; to face her true self. This is a deep self that only the mirror can reveal. If she can survive it, she can return home and claim her right to advanced magical powers.

Every time I sit down to try to compose a song I go through several steps. What do I want to feel? What rhythms can provide that? What chords, what key? What time signature matches the ideas in my head? Do I want several themes to tell a story, or just a few?

I wanted the Cave of Enchanted Secrets to feel dark, magical, secret, suspenseful, but ultimately interesting and compelling. I wanted the magical draw to outweigh any fear or worry. I didn’t want it to feel scary, like Halloween scary. I wanted it to feel scary in the way that unknown power and knowledge feels scary. You want it, but you aren’t sure how long it will take or what you will have to do to get it. That kind of anxiety and anticipation.