Everest takes its title from the tallest mountain on Earth. Although the sharp rising figures in the first half of the piece may suggest steep cliffs, the movement is not a depiction of the mountain itself. Instead, Everest serves as a metaphor for a monumental obstacle encountered in life.

Over the course of the movement, the rising figures gradually transform into descending ones, reflecting the experience of moving through difficulty and emerging changed on the other side.

This movement was completed in 2010 for pianist Monika Haar. Everest is the final movement from Three Movements for Piano, but may be performed separately as an individual piece.

—SC