Image 1 of 1
Image 1 of 1
Image 1 of 1
Image 1 of 1
2026 | 40:00
Level: Grade 6
Scoring: Piccolo, 2 Flutes, 2 Oboes/English Horn, 2 Bassoons, Contrabassoon, 3 Bb Clarinets, Bb Bass Clarinet, Contrabass Clarinet, 2 Alto Saxophones, Tenor Saxophone, Baritone Saxophone, 3 Bb Trumpets, 4 Horns in F, 3 Tenor Trombones, Bass Trombone, Tuba, Double Bass, Timpani, Percussionists (7-9)
Program Note: Though I am not entirely sure why I chose to write this symphony at this point in my life, I feel it was born from a combination of many things. It has been four years since the completion of my first symphony, Symphony No. 1 – As We Burn, and I felt it was finally time to return to writing another substantial work for wind ensemble. At the same time, this past year has been one of the most difficult periods of my life. Between creative struggles, health issues, and surgery, lost travel opportunities, my car being totaled, and ongoing family difficulties, I found myself questioning many things — including my ability to continue creating music.
In many ways, this symphony became a personal statement. I wrote it to prove to myself that I could still write, and, more importantly, that I would continue to write for as long as I am alive. The title, Visions Against the World, emerged from the feeling that the world itself had been pushing against me. Even so, I wanted this work to stand as a declaration that my visions, ideas, and voice would continue to exist through music regardless of the obstacles surrounding me.
The first movement, Emerging Visions, introduces the central musical ideas of the symphony while symbolizing a gradual return to creativity. The movement begins cautiously, almost searching for direction, before expanding outward with growing confidence and intensity. It represents stepping back out of isolation and rediscovering a creative voice.
The second movement, Quixotic Visions, reflects idealism and unattainable dreams. Inspired by the idea of chasing impossible visions, the music imagines a world I wanted deeply but ultimately could not have. The movement shifts between moments of optimism, instability, and longing, portraying the emotional tension between imagination and reality.
The third movement, Flying Visions, captures youthful energy and freedom — the feeling of invincibility that often disappears before we realize how temporary it truly is. Fast-moving textures, soaring gestures, and moments of exhilaration create a sense of flight and momentum, while underlying tensions hint at the fragility of those experiences.
The final movement, Visions Against the World, brings together musical ideas from the previous movements into a culminating confrontation. Themes return transformed, colliding with one another as the symphony pushes toward its conclusion. The finale serves not only as a culmination of the work’s musical material but also as a personal declaration of perseverance. Despite hardship, loss, and uncertainty, the symphony ends with the affirmation that the act of creating — and continuing to dream —remains powerful in itself.
2026 | 40:00
Level: Grade 6
Scoring: Piccolo, 2 Flutes, 2 Oboes/English Horn, 2 Bassoons, Contrabassoon, 3 Bb Clarinets, Bb Bass Clarinet, Contrabass Clarinet, 2 Alto Saxophones, Tenor Saxophone, Baritone Saxophone, 3 Bb Trumpets, 4 Horns in F, 3 Tenor Trombones, Bass Trombone, Tuba, Double Bass, Timpani, Percussionists (7-9)
Program Note: Though I am not entirely sure why I chose to write this symphony at this point in my life, I feel it was born from a combination of many things. It has been four years since the completion of my first symphony, Symphony No. 1 – As We Burn, and I felt it was finally time to return to writing another substantial work for wind ensemble. At the same time, this past year has been one of the most difficult periods of my life. Between creative struggles, health issues, and surgery, lost travel opportunities, my car being totaled, and ongoing family difficulties, I found myself questioning many things — including my ability to continue creating music.
In many ways, this symphony became a personal statement. I wrote it to prove to myself that I could still write, and, more importantly, that I would continue to write for as long as I am alive. The title, Visions Against the World, emerged from the feeling that the world itself had been pushing against me. Even so, I wanted this work to stand as a declaration that my visions, ideas, and voice would continue to exist through music regardless of the obstacles surrounding me.
The first movement, Emerging Visions, introduces the central musical ideas of the symphony while symbolizing a gradual return to creativity. The movement begins cautiously, almost searching for direction, before expanding outward with growing confidence and intensity. It represents stepping back out of isolation and rediscovering a creative voice.
The second movement, Quixotic Visions, reflects idealism and unattainable dreams. Inspired by the idea of chasing impossible visions, the music imagines a world I wanted deeply but ultimately could not have. The movement shifts between moments of optimism, instability, and longing, portraying the emotional tension between imagination and reality.
The third movement, Flying Visions, captures youthful energy and freedom — the feeling of invincibility that often disappears before we realize how temporary it truly is. Fast-moving textures, soaring gestures, and moments of exhilaration create a sense of flight and momentum, while underlying tensions hint at the fragility of those experiences.
The final movement, Visions Against the World, brings together musical ideas from the previous movements into a culminating confrontation. Themes return transformed, colliding with one another as the symphony pushes toward its conclusion. The finale serves not only as a culmination of the work’s musical material but also as a personal declaration of perseverance. Despite hardship, loss, and uncertainty, the symphony ends with the affirmation that the act of creating — and continuing to dream —remains powerful in itself.
