2019

Duration: 6:45

Grade 3.5

Composer’s Note:

Commissioned in honor of the 100th anniversary of the women's suffrage movement.​

This piece is about mountains in many forms. Metaphorically speaking, everyone has his or her own mountain to climb and for me that was a literal mountain. My New Years resolution for the year 2017 was to climb a 14er. Those who know me know that strenuous activity is not my idea of fun but I wanted this goal to stretch me. That spring I had a knee injury that caused me to go through a few months of physical therapy making it not possible for me to make the climb that year. Summer 2018 had me working toward my goal again, this time with a bit of hesitation after my injury. On a Sunday in August, I made it to the top. 

This experience taught me 2 things. First, that climbing a mountain has two victories: getting to the top and then getting back to the bottom again. Each had their own challenges but they were all part of the same goal. The second is that mountains have false peaks. You may think you are nearing the top only to realize you are only half way up. I found that these lessons apply to life as well and the women who were part of the suffrage movement no doubt experienced them in their journey. These remarkable women paved the way for women of the future of have the freedom to pursue the lives they want. Writing this piece is only a small tribute when compared to the gratitude they deserve.

The title, Remembering the Remarkables, was inspired by my recent trip to New Zealand. There is a mountain range called the Remarkables on the southern island that is so perfectly picturesque and inspiring that I don’t think I could ever forget them. It was here that my piece began to take shape.