All Stars Aligned was originally to be a set of variations on a theme that is almost hidden in the opening bars. However, the piece took on much more of a fantasia feel and shape as I wrote it and it could be argued that a second theme first heard in the violin of the ground (derived from material in bar 5) becomes more dominant than the first as the piece progresses. The piece is in one continuous movement but is in three distinct sections and tempi: medium, slow and fast. The material shares some similarities with my piano trio, Nightswimming, and in some ways can be seen as a companion piece (minus the cello of course). The title comes from a track on an album by the artist St. Vincent called Marry Me which I hope is appropriate for a piece commissioned to celebrate a wedding anniversary.Joe Duddell 2010