With original and adapted text by Lynn Ahrens and music by Peter Boyer, the piece honors the three Kennedy brothers, using excerpts from their speeches to create a moving portrait of three American statesman and their enduring optimism and idealism. Written for orchestra, narrator(s) and (possible) chorus, it was commissioned by the Boston Pops Orchestra for their 125th Anniversary celebration in 2010.
First performed at Boston’s Symphony Hall on May 19th, with Robert DeNiro, Morgan Freeman, Ed Harris and Cherry Jones narrating, it was also performed at Tanglewood, with Alec Baldwin, and in Hyannisport with Chris Cooper.