Sad and reflective throughout, Butterfly Purple is a piece written in memory of a young girl who was tragically killed in a senseless shooting. The inspiration for the title came from the fact that purple was her favorite color, and on the one-year anniversary of the incident, a purple butterfly garden decoration was put at her gravesite. Although named in English, the title is reflective of the fact that in the Romance languages, nouns precede adjectives.
The alto flute, with its melancholic voice, carries the melody of the main verse. The piccolo serves as a counter to the alto, picking up in sections where it leaves off. In the middle of the piece, these two have a mini-duet. The two differing voices of the alto and piccolo depict the contrast of the somberness of the tragedy against the youthful optimism of the little girl-the butterfly who never flew.