Following a highly productive freshman year of college, I found myself in somewhat of a compositional rut. My mentor at the time, Austin Ali, suggested that I write a piece about somewhere I wanted to travel. I immediately thought of Yellowstone National Park, coincidentally celebrating its 150th anniversary that year. What began as a small idea grew into a 30-minute symphony exploring six distinct locations in Yellowstone, each celebrating the park’s majesty and grandeur. “Iris of the Earth” is the symphony’s opening movement, illustrating Yellowstone’s most otherworldly wonder: the Grand Prismatic Spring. I envisioned a fanfare that combined the epic and timeless sound of Aaron Copland with unusual brass and percussion effects—like you are standing in front of something ancient, beautiful, and a little bit alien.