Summoning Graces is about rediscovering joy in a world that has all but lost or forgotten it. The first movement, Invocation, is a bit of a prayer, a calling out to the stars, an urgent plea to the gods. Help us regain order. Help us find balance. Help us remember happiness, love, and kindness.

Movement two answers the first and grants us our wish by prescribing a healthy dose of Splendor, Mirth, Good Cheer. The heavens send down three of Zeus’s daughters: Aglaea (goddess of “Splendor”), Euphrosyne (goddess of “Mirth”), and Thalia (goddess of “Good Cheer”). Together, they are known as the Three Graces and, when summoned, their main objective is to inspire artists and poets to create beautiful work, to bestow great wisdom upon scientists and philosophers, and to bring joy and good will to both gods and mortals. Through song and dance and joyful festivities, these goddesses help remind us of all the beauty and fun that does exist in the world, even if it’s sometimes hidden.

Summoning Graces premiered on January 12, 2019 in Bartlesville, Oklahoma, with the Northeastern Oklahoma All-District High School Wind Ensemble, Dr. Jeffrey Gershman, conductor.