There is Always Light (2021)
for Clarinet, Bassoon & Marimba
Duration: 11 minutes
Premiere: July 18, 2021, Britton-Rene Collins, marimba; Erin Fung, clarinet; Christopher Sales, bassoon; Cincinnati, OH.
Commissioned by clarinetist Erin Fung and bassoonist Christopher Sales, this trio for clarinet, bassoon, and marimba is a reflection on racial injustice and a search for hope in the face of grief and violence. Inspired in part by Amanda Gorman’s inaugural poem The Hill We Climb and grounded by the enduring words of the spiritual Gospel Plow, the piece balances sorrow and resilience, asking what it means to “hold on” when hope feels distant. Its title comes from Gorman’s stirring reminder: “For there is always light / if only we’re brave enough to see it / if only we’re brave enough to be it.”