To Music was inspired by the theme, “Music Matters,” of a 1996 Ontario Music Educators’ Association conference. There are occasional musical references in the piece to Schubert’s Lied "An die Musik" whose text speaks of music taking us into a better world.
The piece also deals with the theme of "Music Matters" by working with the actual "matter" of the word "music"--its phonemes: MMEEOOZZIHK. These are introduced backwards at first, and only gradually assembled, until we hear the word "music" as it should be toward the end of the piece. (We do occasionally [or often] get our priorities reversed in education and in life in general, and I am convinced that music can lift us to another word; it may require some re-assembling.)
To Music was premiered 1 July 1998, at the International Choral Kathaumixw, Powell River BC, by Viva Concert Choir, Connie More, director.