Commissioned for Cantus and the Miami University of Ohio Men’s Glee Club, “A True Heart Is Waiting” is about the weight of leaving and coming home, but also savoring the path along the way. I began work on it in 2005, during the early part of the Iraq War, and I was struck by the juxtaposition of the intense sadness of a soldier and his family parting, perhaps forever, with the intense joy of being reunited after a dangerous journey. The piece follows a sea journey and builds to the final voyage home, where “a true heart is waiting” for the weary traveler.

Commissioned by Beth Swailes, Cantus and The Miami University of Ohio Performing Arts Series

Premiered March 29, 2005 by Cantus and the Miami University of Ohio Men’s Glee Club under the direction of Ethan Sperry in Oxford, Ohio, followed by touring concerts by Cantus male vocal ensemble

Type: Choral
Voicing or Instrumentation: TTBB a cappella