About the Piece

I have always held a special place in my heart for nature. As a highly imaginative child, being among the trees and mountains was one of the only places I felt a true sense of peace. Each time I would find myself in nature, it would strike me with the overwhelming urge to seek out the horizon and journey through the great outdoors as if they were mine to discover. Being surrounded by the natural world was bound by a sense of interconnectedness—a sense that what I was experiencing was infinitely greater than myself. In these moments, I would find melodies echoing through my head, songs that seemed to be the manifestation of everything around me.

Verdant Anthology is a collection of some of these songs—a way I hope to share this harmonious connection with our endlessly diverse world. The symphony commemorates the 150th anniversary of the world’s most iconic national park: Yellowstone. Drawing inspiration from composers such as Grainger, Holst, Stravinsky, Copland, and Glass—the piece explores the various moods and sights of the Yellowstone region through the expansive musical range of the symphonic wind ensemble.

As a composer, one of my primary goals is to bring people together with music. In a world of social isolation and turmoil, bringing people together seems more difficult than ever. But the beauty of parks like Yellowstone is humbling—it reminds us to appreciate the unrivaled beauty of our country, our planet, and our home. A deep sense reverberates in my soul that nature holds the answers to many of life’s most sought-after questions. By immersing ourselves in this beauty, this natural order—we can heal wounds, build bridges, and gain new perspectives on ourselves and the world in which we live. I believe that ideas such as these are what can truly bring us together again.

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