This March marked the premiere performance of my Symphony No. 3: The Returned Soldier, by the Phoenix Symphony, under the baton of the incredible conductor Michael Christie.
This 25 minute piece deals with the subject of PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) experienced by veterans returning from combat, such as Iraq and Afghanistan in recent times.
My starting points in this piece were images and scenarios faced by these veterans in war, and their effects on families and loved ones.
It was a real honour to have several war veterans come to me and express how moving they found the piece, and how true to life it seemed as compared to their experiences. My contribution pales into insignificance compared to the sacrifices they have made.