Review of the premiere performance of Fly! by the Tucson Symphony Orchestra, George Hanson, cond.

"LaFave's work was the buzz at intermission, with patrons thrilled by its
beauty and sense of wonder. LaFave is a composer with a direct "old school" approach to composition. Unfazed by modern trends toward serialism, minimalism or any other "isms," he writes in a straight-up, major-minor tonal scheme.

"But don't think of his music as anachronistic. "Fly!" which is about the
sensation of soaring, had about it a kind of cinematic sweep and open heart akin to music by film composer John Williams.

Starting from a "ground state" in the minor mode, it quickly took off,
singing away as it flew over a sonic landscape of busy strings. Superbly
crafted and scored, the work went through exciting episodes, logically
unfolding without going for the obvious. And LaFave struck a winning balance between sheer velocity and pure lyricism, making for elements reflective and spirited.

- Daniel Buckley, The Tucson Citizen, Feb. 23, 2004  

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