Michael Daugherty

Ladder To The Moon

Ladder to the Moon was inspired by the urban landscapes of American artist Georgia O'Keeffe, who lived and painted in Manhattan before moving to New Mexico in 1934. From 1925-30, O'Keeffe created over twenty New York paintings of newly constructed skyscrapers, such as the Radiator Building and the Shelton Hotel. Like experimental photographers of the era, O'Keeffe discovered a different reality in the form of skyscrapers, simultaneously realistic and abstract. Ladder to the Moon is a musical tribute to the art of O'Keeffe, recreating the feeling of skyscrapers and cityscapes of 1930s Manhattan. Commissioned by the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center. Duration: ca. 20 minutes.