I. We Hold These Truths
II. A House Divided
III. I Lift My Lamp
IV. Destinies Bound Together

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The movement titles for this work are references to well-known quotes expressing aspirations for (or ideas about) America. They come, respectively, from the Declaration of Independence (1776), Abraham Lincoln (1858), Emma Lazarus (1883), and Barack Obama (2012). Though reality often exists in tension with aspirations, these ideas nevertheless can inspire us and remind us of our better selves.

In the first movement, "We Hold These Truths", I was inspired by the ideal of a society in which all people are "created equal" and can enjoy "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness." As such, the music that emerged was of a hopeful and striving character. I imagined that this was more of a journey than a destination, and so there is also a certain forward momentum. There is an abundance of contrasting melodic ideas, expressive perhaps of the variety of people who make up our country, all with their own unique pursuits of happiness.

"A House Divided" presents music mostly of a dark, turbulent nature, befitting the era in which those words were spoken. However, it is interrupted twice by streaks of music of a more noble, idealistic character - these express to my mind a desire, amidst uncertainty, for unity and for a better society. Eventually, the musical battle reaches a climax and subsides. A happy ending is avoided as if to remind us that conflicts are often not fully resolved.

The words "I Lift My Lamp" (from "The New Colossus") are the imagined utterances of the Statue of Liberty herself, welcoming the tired and poor. In writing the music, I thought of the mixed feelings an immigrant may have leaving home to journey to America - these are represented by the opening melody, played by the oboe. In the middle of the movement, we hear trumpets - we see the statue majestically standing over the harbor, welcoming us. At the end, the oboe sings its song again, but this time it is joined by the bassoon in duet: we are not alone - we now join our fellow Americans, immigrants all.

For the final movement, I was inspired to create an optimistic and joyful musical picture. "Destinies Bound Together" comes from a longer quote which reminds us that a freedom without commitment to others is a freedom "unworthy of our founding ideals". Indeed, our best hope for the future may be in recognizing that we're all on the same ship - what kind of voyage we want to have is up to us.