Written in the midst of the resurgence of the Black Lives Matter movement, this programmatic work was influenced by much of what Americans were experiencing in 2020. A sometimes desperate, but always determined and passionate fight for justice and change is reflected in the music. The piece also has undercurrents of other realities of the time: from the initial, optimistic hope and resolve that a new year brings, to an ominous foreshadowing of COVID-19 leading into an explosion of cases, accompanied by fear, frustration, and a national/international crisis. The intensified return of the initial theme at the end is a provocative call to action.

Score Length: 7 pages