“Let God Bring Tomorrow, Hymn for the Fallen” (2016) by Joshua McGhee, for violin, cello, flute, bassoon, and piano. A response to the fallen victims of the Orlando Night Club shootings and the many other victims of gun violence in 2016, a quest for the light of life lived free from fear. Scored for flute, bassoon, violin, cello, and piano. Duration: 4 minutes, 30 seconds. Score and parts, 19 pages.

Suitable for programming by collegiate and professional ensembles. Commissioned by the African American Composer Initiative

Picasso Ensemble: Susan C. Brown, violin, Victoria Ehrlich, cello, Stephanie McNab, flute, Douglas Brown, bassoon, Josephine Gandolfi, piano Recorded on Cambria CD1238 “Where Freedom Rings: Compositions by Contemporary African American Composers,” Jeannie Gayle Pool, producer.

Live concert video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=urGY5i4U_Hw

Program notes for Let God Bring Tomorrow

McGhee has composed three instrumental “hymns” on commission from AACI. In each instance, he was asked to write a chamber work using instrumentation of his choice. For the January 26, 2014 Eastside concert, “Let Freedom Ring: The Resounding Music of African American Composers,” he wrote a musical memorial in honor of Trayvon Martin, “Elegy for a Child.” He composed “The Color of Love”, a tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King for the January 24 and 25, 2015 concerts at Eastside, “Walk Together: A Musical Tribute to Martin Luther King Jr.” Both of these compositions were scored for piano trio with the addition of cello, performed by John H. Robinson III.

In 2016 he chose to write a work for piano trio with the addition of flute and bassoon. This work was premiered on January 28, 2017 at the Eastside concert “Let the Knowing Speak.” The composer’s notes follow:

Let God Bring Tomorrow is a piece that was originally inspired by the Orlando night club shooting that took place on Jun 12, 2016. This piece is to honor the fallen victims. It is also meant to honor the fallen victims of the many other deadly shootings that took place in 2016. This is their anthem. The piece is heart-rending at moments, yet it is meant to be uplifting overall. In the midst of tragedy, people will come together despite their differences. May God allow us to see the light of another day, without fear, without judgment, but with strength, an open heart and an open mind.