This work paints the picture of a lush landscape that begins to wake as the first rays of sunlight bring its colors to life. The opening segment is calm, but holds a sense of anticipation as the instruments enter one by one, adding their voices to the growing chorus. Finally, a primal scream signals the beginning of a celebration. The rest of the work is a dance for the Earth and all who inhabit it.
On a more practical side, this work explores some very specific ideas for young ensembles. The primary focus is on rhythm, dynamic expression, and polyphony. With this in mind, I limited the ranges and technical demands as much as I could, and I tried to ensure that all instrument groups had melodic moments to help develop the ENTIRE band, and not just part of it. Also, careful consideration was given to cross-cueing to allow this work to be performed by as many instrumentation situations as possible.