Alpine Meadow was written during a self-directed, technology-free composing retreat in a cabin near Ashland, Oregon. I had recently visited Yosemite National Park for the first time, and was particularly inspired by the scenic drive on Tioga Road; this mountain pass is the highest in elevation in California (reaching almost 10,000 feet), and winds through the Sierra Nevada mountains overlooking the valleys and meadows below. Standing at the highest point of the road, I felt the cool breeze pass by me and then make its way through the grasses and trees below. The music in Alpine Meadow is intended to represent the quiet intensity of this remote and beautiful place.