Kennedy - Be Ever the Hope

Performed live by the Westchester Symphonic Winds -- Curt Ebersole, conductor
Recorded on November 6, 2022 at Tarrytown Music Hall, Tarrytown NY.
Program notes: www.westcheste...
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[@elizalin2642]

I played the World Premiere of the orchestral version at the 2023 Midwest Clinic, under Mr. Boitz. It's such a touching piece written for Jay Kennedy's wife, Mallory Thompson. The first letters in the name spell out her middle name, Beth, which is a beautiful touch to a beautiful piece, for his beautiful wife. Did I mention Dr. Thompson herself conducted the piece? In the orchestral version, a singular cello (my best friend) was given a solo with the main melody. Hearing her octaves travel through the hall was one of the most beautiful things I've heard, apart from Bach's Chaconne and the first movement of Dvorak's 9th Symphony. And hearing the story of how Kennedy and Thompson met was incredibly heartwarming as well. I know Kennedy won't see this, but thank you for the beautiful piece, and please continue writing music for as long as possible. As Rachmaninoff once said, "Music is enough for a lifetime, but a lifetime is not enough for music."