Musical composition makes North American debut in Orono [Video]

ORONO, Maine (WABI) – After 25 years, a composer finally saw his score performed live as it made it’s North American debut Saturday night, at Minsky Recital Hall at the University of Maine.

When Washington State-based composer and retired music teacher Donivan Johnson first created his composition entitled “Arise, My Love” in 1997, it was for a competition in Switzerland.

“I didn’t win, but a year later, one of the judges remembered my piece and it turned out he was the conductor of a 120-voice regional choir in Switzerland. And it was premiered on June 5, 1999 in Basel, Switzerland,” explains Johnson. “I was not able to go there, the day it performed was our high school graduation, and I had to be there conducting the band. And I wanted to be there, because I had students very dear to me that were graduating. So, this is a homecoming in …