Composer’s Note:

Valhol was composed for the Woodrow Wilson High School Concert Band, for my son, who is taken with our family history and the mythology of our ancestors. In order to enter eternal life in the Viking Heaven, called Valhol (Valhalla), one must die honorably in battle. Each warrior said a prayer before the battle (which follows), with the hope that if they died a valiant death, they would join their ancestors in eternity. The work tries to capture the serenity and focus that each warrior must embrace prior to battle, the fervor experienced while in battle, and the glorious death that ensues.