With text from the poem of the same name by Arthur Sherburne Hardy, Immortality was written in response to a string of losses in the Susquehanna University community during my senior year. The loss that hit closest to home for me was the loss of my friend, Taylor Rose Brown, whom I had graduated with mere days before her death. This piece is dedicated to her, and all of the loved ones of listeners and performers who have passed on.

Immortality explores both the peaceful and powerful emotions associated with death, and ultimately presents the concept as a victory. Whether or not a performer or listener believes in God or life after death, the concept of immortality is a universal concept in that the lost ones live on through us. Thus, it is my hope that this setting will provide comfort for anyone who has lost a loved one. From the acapella, floaty choral introduction to the dynamically contrasting presentations of the main theme, I have attempted to capture the calming and confident words of the Hardy poem.

The recording on this page is from a reading by the Penn State Concert Choir under the direction of Dr. Christopher Kiver.