"From the Clash of Race and Creed" commercially released

I’m pleased to announce that my orchestral work “From the Clash of Race and Creed” has been commercially released today, performed by the Brno Philharmonic Orchestra under Mikel Toms, conducting.   You can listen to it on Spotify, Amazon Music, Google Play or iTunes.  

I wrote this piece just after 9/11 and it’s appropriate now as ever.  The work derives its title from the couplet in the hymn “Not alone for mighty empire,” by William Merrill in 1911 which reads: “God of justice, save the people / From the clash of race and creed.”  This piece juxtaposes the sometimes troubling, and often complex, dissonant aspects of today’s reality filled with conflict, worry and hatred with the hopeful and ideal world of salvation, freedom and acceptance. 

After a brief prelude, this ideal world is presented, quickly being overtaken by contemporary life.  This complexity builds to a climax, at which point the ideal world bursts through while all the while surrounded by present day.    This shining moment is also eventually overtaken, and closes with our ideal-world theme softly echoing – hopeful -- in the background.