�A patriot is someone who wants to see their country do the right thing,� CU composer Jordan Holloway said. “To be a patriot is to love one�s country for what it could be, not just what it is. This to me is the difference between patriotism and nationalism.�
This daring statement inspired Holloway�s �Symphony No.1 – The Patriot,� which premiered on YouTube July 16. The symphony, which now has over 1400 views, is the result of a 4-month long remote collaboration of 48 musicians from around the US, France, Canada and Spain, organized by Holloway. �
The symphony is an honest, refreshing take on American patriotism. Unlike the idealized America of the �Star Spangled Banner� or �God Bless America,� �The Patriot� tackles the darker sides of the American identity � oppression of Native Americans, Black people and other minorities, corrupt political power and protests.�
The four movements are �I. Landscapes,� the �innocence of a child discovering this land for the first time;� �II. Portrait� about �evil political power;� �III. Elegy,� an �image of fear, a post-apocalyptic US;� and �IV: Protest,� a �confused� outcry against oppression. �
Though written in 2018, the symphony is even more relevant in 2020 with Black Lives Matter (BLM), President Trump�s �corrupt� government and the fallout of COVID-19.�
For Holloway, �The Patriot� is his �dramatic� musical protest against the injustices of our time.
�It�s a bit unusual in the 21st century, going to the symphony to hear a political statement,� Holloway admitted. �It�s a different expression of the same thing that we have been feeling for the past several years. What I like about this medium is that I don�t have to be apologetic. I can be overtly terrified by the potential outcomes for humanity.�
Holloway�s musical confession resonated. As musicians in the symphony and listeners echoed his sentiments, he realized many others were also scared and outraged.
�I didn�t realize how much it would mean to a lot of people,� Holloway said. �People became so invested in making music together and in the message of the music. It was incredibly validating and it�s really cool that I could provide an opportunity like that.�
Going forward, Holloway will comment on the 2020 political climate in his music and speak up as an LGBTQ+ and BLM ally.
�It�s interesting to work with issues of racial injustice because I am a straight, white man, and a lot of it is really speculative, I guess,� Holloway said. �That�s not to say that any of it isn�t genuine or trying to be something that it�s not. I don�t want to come off as though I am experiencing any kind of oppression.�
Instead, he aims to express his own �outcry against racial violence and the incompetence of our administration,� a message which he hopes will resonate with listeners like �Symphony No. 1.�
Contact CU Independent Arts Editor Isabella Fincher at isabella.fincher@colorado.edu.