The Borrowed Heart

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I first encountered composer Julie in 2016 when a mentor and I commissioned her to write a piece for our high school bands. That commission not only sparked a cherished relationship but also introduced me to a musical voice that I instantly fell in love with. The premiere of that first piece took place just four days before my due date. On May 29, my beautiful son, George, was born. What we could not know then was the challenging road ahead: five months later, George went into heart failure, requiring his first heart transplant at just nine months old. A year and a half after that, he suffered rejection and needed a second transplant before the age of three. It is this complexity and vulnerability that I knew Julie would be able to translate so perfectly into music. The journey of transplant is complex, almost impossible to put into words. Receiving a transplant means that someone else’s worst day of loss turns into another family's day of hope and a future. The emotions are incredibly layered. Both recipient and donor families experience grief, guilt, and pain, alongside hope, purpose, and the promise of a future. As the parent of a child receiving a heart, you are keenly aware that another family is enduring the unimaginable loss of their child. It is this complexity and vulnerability that I knew Julie would be able to translate so perfectly into music. We call our donors Angels because they selflessly gave the ultimate gift of life so people like George could have a chance at one. This music is a testament to George's strength, the incredible generosity of his Angels, and the profound, enduring power of that gift. 
The above program notes graciously written by Lindsey Kemp

“I chose the solo piano for its power to draw the vastness of music into a smaller, intimate space. No matter how grand the ensemble, when the piano enters, the world narrows—every ear and heart attuned to one voice. The piano is a great vessel for vulnerability. I composed this piece in the shadow of mental and emotional hardship, guided by an angel who restored me—Dr. N. Horton, whose kindness kept me here. My crisis contributed to the “heart” this music has. For myself, “The Borrowed Heart” is about as personal as music can get.” J.G.

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