Kevin Day (b. 1996) is an American composer who, as of this writing, is rising. Fast. REALLY fast. It is clear that it will be impossible to keep up with his flurry of activity, which already includes more than 100 compositions, numerous premieres and conference performances, several composer-in-residence positions, and upcoming doctoral studies at the University of Miami (on the heels of graduate study in composition and conducting at the University of Georgia). This is only the tip of the iceberg, and it is sure to increase by the time you’ve read this, so I refer you to his ever-changing bio at his website. Also check him out at the Gabriela Lena Frank Academy of Music, MCI Composers, Texas Christian University (his alma mater, class of ’19), the Wind Repertory Project, D Magazine, The Dallas Morning News, Everything Band Podcast, and the Band Room Podcast.
Day wrote A Song for Tomorrow in 2019 as a tribute for a lost high school classmate. He describes it in his score:
A Song for Tomorrow is a composition that is very near and dear to my heart. The piece was composed in memory of my friend Jonathan Foreman, who tragically died in September of 2018. Jonathan, his older brother David, and their family and I were close when we were in high school and so his death hit me very hard; as well as the family, and the students and faculty of Arlington High School. For his funeral, the room was packed with Arlington High School teachers, students, and alumni who knew Jonathan. Arlington High School was always a family and so it was amazing to see how many people came out to support and say their goodbyes. After the funeral service, I felt a deep pulling on my heart that I need to write something for David and the Foreman family, as a tribute to Jonathan. I pondered what to do for months until I was able to come up with a title and an idea for the piece. The title of the composition, A Song for Tomorrow, is inspired by a Latin phrase that was printed on Jonathan’s funeral program. This phrase read “Cras alius dies est”, which means “Tomorrow is Another Day”.
The song is meant to embody who Jonathan was, and provide hope and comfort to the family and friends who knew him for the days to come. The song features a chorale that I came up with that comes back in different forms throughout the piece. Jonathan was a trumpet player and so I wrote an off-stage trumpet solo that is played (which represents him), as well as a trumpet section feature that builds the climax of the piece. The piece explores different conflictions and dissonances, until coming to a peaceful resolution. This was incredibly hard for me to write and so I wanted to make sure that I put everything in my heart into this work. I hope that this piece can be comforting and provide peace to all who have lost someone close to them. I hope it gives them the strength to carry on through the days ahead, for every tomorrow that comes.
See more about A Song for Tomorrow at Murphy Music Press (includes a look at the score), …And We Were Heard, and the Wind Repertory Project. Here is the Langley High School Wind Ensemble performing it: