Deep Beneath the Ice by Stephen Karukas

Deep Beneath the Ice is a simple and tuneful piece, composed in January 2015 when I was a student at Interlochen Arts Academy. In the warmer months of the year, I would sit by Duck Lake on campus and enjoy being so close to nature. But in winter, the lake would freeze over, sealing all life beneath a layer of ice. Similarly, the far-below freezing temperatures would keep all of the students inside. While trapped inside a practice room, I composed this piece as a reminder that even in isolation, life exists as active as ever. – S.K.