The Exultant Heart

The Exultant Heart is the winner of the NBA/Merrill Jones Composition Contest and is nothing short of remarkable. The hauntingly beautiful opening is followed by a joyful middle section that features a lively dance, alluding to a rustic wedding dance complete with drum and tambourine. The first theme then returns in a choral-like setting as the dance rhythm continues, gradually settling down to a return of the opening mood while chimes improvise like church bells fading in the distance. Absolutely spellbinding!