Written for the orchestra as one of a series of commissioned fanfares, Higdon's score is a brisk, sharp-edged concoction, full of rhythmic pizzazz and blunt orchestral writing (aside from one splendidly played solo for the concertmaster).
"[4] Tim Sawyier of the Chicago Classical Review also lauded the composition, writing, "The propulsive percussion section was dynamic throughout, and the trumpet and flute flourishes nimbly executed.
"[5] David Bratman of the San Francisco Classical Voice wrote:Higdon's compositional secret is a strong sense of musical structure.
The scoring is built on percussion (thundering timpani and various other drums open the work) but the spotlight passes all over the orchestra, even to violin solos.
As a composer whose orchestral style naturally tends to the bright, brittle, and brassy, Higdon was a good choice to contribute to the Fanfares Project...[6]