My Essay for orchestra was the first of several works I composed for conductor Barry Jekowsky and the California Symphony during my multi-year residency with the orchestra. Calling an orchestral work Essay inevitably brings to mind the three remarkable Essays by Samuel Barber. When asked about his use of the term, Barber referred to the Oxford English Dictionary’s definition: “A composition of moderate length on a particular subject… more or less elaborate in style though limited in range.” Similarly, my work embraces this tradition with a succinct, lyrical, and dramatic contribution that, like Barber’s Essays, is unified by a focused thematic idea.