Midwest Young Artists Conservatory (MYAC) students are busy with orchestra, jazz, choral, and chamber music activities every summer. This year when tragedy struck Highland Park, MYAC founder and president Allan Dennis approached composer Jean Milew to create a musical response that MYAC students could bring to their community. The MYAC Summer Festival Orchestra will perform Dr. Milew’s piece on their July 23 culminating summer concert.

Dr. Milew is a composer with more than one connection to MYAC: three of her children participate in MYAC’s orchestras, and she is a member of the staff. Composing music in response to a tragedy from within the affected community was new for Jean. “Quite simply, it was emotionally exhausting,” she said. “Physically, it felt as if my insides were tied in knots the entire time I was composing. The gun violence in our country has been something that I have found increasingly upsetting. On July 4, it moved into my own backyard.  I was still struggling with how to even come to terms with this when Allan approached me to write a piece.”

“We have so many students from Highland Park that are part of the MYAC family,” said Allan Dennis. “We at MYAC want all our family to know  that we care about how they are dealing with this.”  Dr. Dennis sees this music as a place for healing to begin. “Our response starts with us performing and focusing on music to heal our own souls. The hope is that it will also heal other peoples’ souls and bring us all closer together.” 

The music is a meditation and variation on America the Beautiful: the familiar tune is turned into an elegy and plea for newness. The music is punctuated by extended silence.  “I believe that silence is an important part of music, and silence is difficult to be comfortable with in today’s world,” said Jean. “The silence in this piece is meant to make you feel uncomfortable.  I think it’s difficult for both the performers and the listener. We need to feel uncomfortable if it will push us towards a solution.”

Jean Milew’s new work, A New America, will be featured on the July 23 concert at the MYAC Center in Fort Sheridan. The concert will begin at 2pm, and the program features other works for orchestra and jazz ensemble.