Reflections of Waterlillies originally started out as a cello and piano piece for a young cellist at the church where my son preaches.  For one reason or another it never was performed, until the organist for the church asked me to write something to play for special music during the summer.  I re-examined this piece, made some adjustments so I could actually play it.  
Oddly enough that version was never performed either.  Eventually it found its way into the hands of a pianist, cellist  and educator - Erica Sipes.  She recorded this as a gift for my birthday, playing both cello and piano.
The music is one in a collection of pieces based on various impressionist artists and their paintings.  This one based on the famous Waterlillies (1906) by Claude Monet, as is the image on the website.  Throughout the music there is subtle shift in harmonies and tonality, and yet remaining close to the original reflecting the subtle shifts of greens and blues in this painting

Reflections of Waterlillies

Clarity of Melody with intense rhythms is a key element in the music of Chip Michael.  He feels it is important the listener have something to grasp in terms of melody while providing interesting, intricate rhythms, odd meter and complex counterpoint.  The unique blend of rhythms and melody are what make Chip's music appealing to audiences of all types from around the world.

Boulder Symphony Orchestra announced Chip Michael as Composer-in-Residence for their 2010-2011 season. Conductor Devin Hughes created the appointment along with commissioning a new work for the BSO, Exchanging Glances.  In 2010-11 the BSO also performed You Can't Catch Rabbits with Drums, the 3rd movement from Chip?s Symphony No. 1. Earlier in 2010 the Lamont Symphony Orchestra premiered Cantilenas.

With the assistance of the Napier Development Fund, the Edinburgh Symphony Orchestra premiered Chip's Symphony No. 1 Figuratively Speaking in June 2008. A grant from Lloyds TSB Arts Foundation funded The Edinburgh Quartet premiere of Skimming Rock & Skipping Stones. The quartet has performed numerous other works by Chip over the past five years. The OneMile Programme funded the film "Under Assured" featuring Chip's music as well as sound design.
