The commission for this work began with a call from Patricia “Pat” Joslyn, Senior Vice President of the Tucson Symphony Orchestra, in late 2021. I had known Pat through her previous work at the Sarasota Orchestra, where she had helped to program my music. As Pat looked ahead to her retirement, she had the great idea to have the three orchestras at which she had worked—Tucson, Sarasota, and the Brevard Symphony—co-commission a new work which would be performed by all of them, and would be part of her legacy. I was delighted when she told me that I was her first choice as the composer, and that she felt a strong personal connection to my music; and so I accepted this special commission. The title of Horizons seemed appropriate when contemplating a major threshold in life—one might look out to the horizon, thinking of what has been accomplished, and imagining what lies beyond. For this nine-minute work, I chose to compose two highly contrasting sections, called “Reflection” and “Celebration.” As Pat was a horn player, she had only one specific request: that I compose good horn lines in this piece. That musical direction helped shape the first section, “Reflection.” After an introduction for spaciously-voiced strings with “glittering” figures in the percussion, harp, and piano, a solo horn plays a prominent line, which is optimistic, even heroic in character. Later the second horn joins, followed by the third and fourth horns, before this theme is taken up and developed by the full orchestra. At the six-minute mark, this theme and section reach a climax which might sound as if the piece is over—but it’s not. High violins sustain, and the percussion softly introduce a fast new rhythm, which builds to the introduction of the second section, “Celebration.” This is a vigorous, jubilant romp in 7/8 meter for the full orchestra, as we joyfully celebrate a milestone, and look to the horizon, anticipating adventures ahead.
I’m delighted that José Luis Gomez, with whom I shared the podium for Pasadena Symphony concerts in 2013, is conducting the premiere of Horizons; and, it is a special honor for me to have this work’s premiere begin a concert featuring Yo-Yo Ma, whose remarkable artistry I have admired for so long.