Author Description

For my 64th work, I thought it would be fitting to compose something for the 50th Anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s I Have a Dream Speech. The number association also lines up with the year of assassination of King and Lincoln. There are highly virtuousic techniques used in this piece, while still having a lyrical quality. Lift Every Voice and Sing is used in a few unique ways as motivic development. Many have proclaimed it as the Black National Anthem, but that is not official. The work comes from a poem of the same title for the celebration of Lincoln's birthday. The original poem discusses how far God has brought us. Many feel that MLK's dream has been accomplished, while others feel his dream, is unfinished. 4 mallet marimba Level: Professional Duration: 23 minutes