Uncommon Will was composed on the occasion of receiving the 2024 Jere Hutcheson Large Ensemble Composition Award at Michigan State University. The title draws inspiration from the institution where I had the privilege of completing my master’s degree in composition. Uncommon Will embodies a mentality—an unyielding spirit of determination that persists even in the darkest of circumstances. It reminds us that resilience is not the absence of struggle, but the decision to rise through it. The piece begins with a brief rhythmic idea that continuously morphs and evolves, growing stronger and more self-assured with each transformation. Along the way, it encounters resistance and uncertainty, yet pushes forward, ultimately transcending its own limitations. By the end, the idea achieves full realization—a celebration of perseverance, triumph, and the beauty of becoming.

– From the composer