A New Pledge of Allegiance

A New Pledge of Allegiance (2022) was written for Valérie Filloux, mezzo-soprano, as part of the 2022 Aspen Music Festival and School Aspen Opera Theater and VocalARTS/Composition Collaboration. My goal in writing this piece was to create a pledge of allegiance that resonated with me more than the existent one for the United States. What ideals do we hold dear that are not currently included? What, if collectively vowed, could help our country, our communities, and the world around us? Many thanks to Val and pianist Manuel Arellano for bringing A New Pledge of Allegiance to life.