Indivisible!

Composer(s) / Arranger(s): Shaun Salem

Performance Time: 4:34  |  Grade: 3  |  Style: Contemporary, Patriotic

When Bill Burke approached me with a concept for a commissioned work of deep, personal value to him, he was adamant that this work reflect social unrest, that the work be challenging enough to be substantial to the repertoire, and that the introduction of the piece be unique and memorable. Bill summarized this concept as follows: 

“Watching my country that I cherish go through almost two decades of political, cultural, and societal fracturing (particularly during the 2016 presidential election) gave me the impetus to ask my friend and colleague Shaun Salem to compose a piece of music that would embody what our country was going through. ‘Indivisible!’ ebbs and flows with haunting melodies intertwined with short segments of The National Anthem. The piece concludes with a positive ending, as there is hope that our country - as it has many times before - finds common ground for the greater good of the generations of Americans yet to come.” 

Early in the process of writing “Indivisible!”, I discovered and became captivated by a lyrical expression of “...one Nation, under God, Indivisible...” that can be heard in measures 100-104: “One / Nation / under God / Indivi-si / ble!” The haunting introduction of Solo Alto Sax juxtaposed with clustered woodwind tones over a pedal with effects was discovered later in the process. “Indivisible!” captures the sentiment that freedom in America isn’t free, that sometimes we disagree about what freedom means for each of us individually, and that we must strive to be united in our pursuit of liberty and justice for all to preserve the freedoms that exist.