Earth Song for concert band is the grandchild of Sanctuary for concert band. Almost as soon as I completed Sanctuary, I became intrigued by the idea of making a choral version of at least part of the work.

Within the same year, I realized this goal, inventing a poem that reflected the music’s poignant lyricism, fitting the rhythmic stresses and melodic contour of Sanctuary]]’S melody. Thus, Earth Song for chorus came to be.

Six years after composing Sanctuary, in 2012 I received an email f...