Manhattan Nights

Manhattan Nights was composed by Kevin Day in 2017. The work "describes the brisk, chaotic, and hectic commute of the city, the beauty of the skyscrapers, and a depiction of the eclectic jazz music scene." Many of Day's other works share the same characteristic of fusing eclectic influences from his life. In the program notes for his Concerto for Wind Ensemble, Day states: "I wanted to write something that reflected my upbringing as a young black man and the musical culture I grew up in, which hasn't always been represented in concert band music." Manhattan Nights shares many of the same musical influences as the Concerto for Wind Ensemble. Understanding the personal connection to his compositional style highlights Day's context for writing music. Manhattan Nights is another piece that showcases his traits.