On This Hill

On This Hill (2014)

On This Hill is scored for choir, piano, and percussion, and specifically features the vibraphone. In three large sections, the piece's texts come from State of the Union addresses of three of our former presidents: Lyndon B. Johnson, Ronald Reagan, and Bill Clinton. In choosing the texts, I sought phrases and messages that, despite being from political speeches, do not themselves express a political statements, but rather an emotional and/or universal human message. The final section, for instance, uses these words from Reagan's 1986 address: "We've come this far. Will you join me now...?"
On This Hill was commissioned by Lesley Leighton for the Los Robles Master Chorale. The work was premiered on May 17, 2014 in Ventura, CA, as part of the concert 'Imaginations Unleashed!'.

Text:
(excerpted from State of the Union addresses)

"On this Hill which I call home, I am stirred by old friendship."
- Lyndon B. Johnson, 1965

"And I think we should say to all the people we're trying to represent here that preparing for a far-off storm that may reach our shores is far wiser than ignoring the thunder until the clouds are just overhead."
- Bill Clinton, 1998

"We've come this far. Will you join me now...?"
- Ronald Reagan, 1986

Los Robles Master Chorale, Lesley Leighton conducting
Landon Baumgard, piano
Lauren Kosty, percussion

Performance History -

premiere:
Los Robles Master Chorale, Lesley Leighton conducting;, with Landon Baumgard, piano, and Lauren Kosty, percussion; Imaginations Unleashed!
May 17, 2014 Ventura College Performing Arts Center, Ventura, CA