I Count It All Joy

This piece is dedicated to a very special young woman who lost her life way too early: Heather Michelle Menzie. She was a violinist, and the violin part in this song represents her. My favorite musical moment in the entire song is at the very end, in the last four measures, when the tonality shifts to an F major chord, a chord that has not yet been heard in the piece. The violin floats up and away at this moment, signaling her ascent, and the piece ends with a beautiful flourish from the harp and piano.

 

-Jocelyn Hagen