Shenandoah

I was just ending my college experience when I decided to write an arrangement of the classic american song Shenandoah. In the arrangement, I had a particular singer in mind: Alicia (Bousner) Hrubey. We met in our undergrad studies at the University of Mount Union and were fairly close due to the fact that we were in choir together.

I wanted to do something different with the arrangement, implementing more word painting into the sounds of the accompaniment and introducing a signature style of composition of mine using impressionistic undercurrents with the sensibility of a strong melody riding the waves of sound underneath. This style fit perfectly with the subject matter - a river.

As luck would have it, I played the arrangement for Alicia before we graduated. Two years later, she so graciously asked if she could sing the song as the closer for her Graduate Voice Recital. I was, of course, very flattered and here is the final result.

**Please note that this key is a half step up from the original and doesn't work as well in the hands for the accompanist.