For Concert Band
Composed: 2024
A concert band work for younger/developing bands.
In the fantasy series The Wheel of Time, characters must step through a magical archway as part of a trial in their journey of growth. Behind this archway, they are tempted by conjurations of friends and family that will try to convince them to stray from what the characters know to be the right thing. In order to succeed, the characters must stay steadfast in their own beliefs and prove that they can withstand the influence of others while staying true to themselves. This poigniant scene is one that I've often related to time and time again - sometimes fighting the racial stereotypes cast upon me by society as a Korean American, or as recently as writing my own music, knowing that many will disregard it as unimportant or cliche. This piece is my depiction of the courage required to pass through this metaphorical archway. I hope that members of developing ensembles can also relate to this dif6culty of "having conviction for what's right" despite the peer pressures so often present in educational settings today.