Touches was a commission for the sixth Van Cliburn International Piano Competition, which all the contestants were required to perform,[1] and dedicated "to [his] first love, the keyboard".
[2] The title refers to touches, which is French for "piano keys",[3] and the feeling of the pianist's fingers, hands, and arms while playing.
[4] It was composed in Fairfield, Connecticut in July, 1980, and premiered on May 24, 1981, at the piano competition in Fort Worth, Texas.
The list of movements is as follows:[2] A piece with relatively lower technical demands for professional pianists, Touches emphasizes expressiveness and jazzy-bluesy piano performance.
[6] The main theme presented in the "Chorale" is similar to a piece Bernstein wrote for his daughter Jamie's 26th birthday, which was entitled Virgo Blues.