The word “offing” has two meanings: 1) the more distant part of the sea seen from the shore, beyond the anchoring ground; and 2) the near or foreseeable future. When I was writing this piece during my Copland House Residency in the summer of 2021, I frequently went to Charles Point on the Hudson to run in the evenings and watch the boats come in and out of the harbor. The sunset colors above the hills and the views from the shore were inspiring and are where this piece first got its genesis. Over the past 18 months, everyone has been challenged by the pandemic. This piece is an expression of hope and forward-looking optimism about the full return to making music that is in the near or foreseeable future. Like many other composers, it has been difficult to write while in semi or full lockdown, but when I was at Copland House I was reminded of why I write music; I consider composing an awesome privilege and to be able to create something that we can all commune with in the moment is truly wonderful. This process made me recall of one of my favorite Einstein quotes: “The most beautiful thing we can experience is the mysterious. It is the source of all true art and all science. He to whom this emotion is a stranger, who can no longer pause to wonder and stand rapt in awe, is as good as dead: his eyes are closed.” As we return from our homes and back into the wonderful world of making music again, I hope that we are all rapt in awe, can open our eyes and ears, and ultimately are grateful for this wonderful thing that I took for granted: the simple act of making music together.

Commissioned by the American Bandmasters Association