What Would You Do For Love?

Programme Notes

This composition was inspired by a story I came across in the Huffington Post in 2013 that deeply moved me. It was about Travis and Taesha, a couple whose love and selflessness became the catalyst for an incredible life-saving act. Travis, in need of a kidney transplant to survive, had almost no chance of finding a donor—only a 1 in 30,000 probability that someone would be a match. Against these odds, Taesha decided to get tested, and, miraculously, she was a perfect match. The transplant surgery was a success, and Travis’ life was saved. The article ended with the heartwarming news that the couple had gotten engaged.

Such a beautiful, life-affirming story of love, sacrifice, and hope inspired me to write this piece, which, even by my own standards, might come across as a bit schmaltzy! But I’m proud of how it turned out. The sound of the music is intimately tied to Travis and Taesha’s journey, and I wanted the piece to reflect both the tenderness and the triumph of their love. I was particularly drawn to the trumpet’s ability to be both sweet and soaring—almost like a soprano singing a passionate aria—so I used it to carry the emotional weight of the story. The piano part, too, was composed to be rich and expressive, giving the piece an almost orchestral depth to support the grandeur of the moment.

Ultimately, my hope is that listeners will feel the sweetness and majesty that this story deserves, and that the music will convey the beautiful, uplifting essence of this remarkable love story.

– Frank Horvat