This work was commissioned by the newly formed contemporary music ensemble at the Chicago Academy for the Arts. At the time, I had just completed some research at the Earle Brown Music Foundation in Rye, New York. I felt that the wealth of ideas and the energy with which Brown approached open form would be the perfect starting point for a work for the ensemble’s young and curious musicians. The title is a reference to the many meanings of the word grain: wheat (as a basic sustenance), kernel, layers and patterns of wood, a tendency, a dye. In this work, I tried to construct simple materials - grains - that could color, grow, layer and make larger patterns. All the musicians are given the same set of musical materials: the six players are divided into duos; each duo constructs a unique continuity and tempo to move through the music. The result is a careful balance of independence and ensemble playing: at once, a homage to Brown and chamber-music making.