HEART OF HOPE (2025)

Wind Ensemble | ca. 5'30" | grade 3

PROGRAM NOTE

Heart of Hope was commissioned by the Sing Me A Story Foundation (SMAS), a non-profit organization based in Nashville, Tennessee, U.S.A.. The mission of the organization is to "bring the voices of children in need to the world through music" by giving children in need the opportunity to write and illustrate stories about anything they want. The stories are then distributed to singers, songwriters and composers partnered with SMAS who turn them into songs and compositions based on the ideas in the stories, record them, and send them back to the children through the SMAS website. There, all of the songs and compositions can be heard, and listeners can donate to each song's Jukebox Campaign, which helps raise money for SMAS and its partnering organizations.

The piece I composed is inspired by the story of Will Woleben. Will (13) is a Dallas-Fort-Worth native who faces the difficulty of a rare and severe genetic disease called SURF1 Leigh Syndrome. Leigh Syndrome, most common in young children, is a neurometabolic disorder and a type of mitochondrial disease that causes cells in the central nervous system to die. This cell decay leads to a host of severe health issues, including seizures, developmental delays and heart problems. With no cure, Leigh Syndrome is fatal.

Despite the difficulty of Leigh Syndrome, Will has shown incredible bravery, strength and resilience. The story I received, titled "Heart of Hope", was written and illustrated by Will's little sister Lauren (10), who was also Will's life-saving bone marrow transplant donor. Lauren's story tells of Will's love for sports (particularly hockey), his bright personality, and an inspiring day meeting his favorite big-league hockey players. But more broadly, this story is one of perseverance, big dreams and the incredible spirit of a boy who never gives up. This sentiment is the driving force behind the piece I composed, which appropriately adopts the title of Lauren's story, "Heart of Hope". The music embraces a noble, heroic and emotional character through the use of heartbeat-like rhythms, expressive melodic lines and valiant fanfares. 

To learn more about the Sing Me A Story Foundation, to read the full story of Will, and to donate to this composition's Jukebox Campaign, visit the organization's website at www.singmeastory.org/stories/heart-of-hope.

To learn more about Leigh Syndrome and to discover more ways to give, visit the website of the Woleben family's Cure Mito Foundation at www.curemito.org.

Heart of Hope was premiered on May 15th, 2025 by the Highland Park Middle School Wind Ensemble at Highland Park Middle School in Dallas, Texas, U.S.A., conducted by John Vanhook.