In 1973, while a student at Blair Academy (Blairstown, New Jersey, USA) Daniel solicited a 12-tone theme from childhood friend Debra Ridge. The theme was for Oboe and was to represent a "hermit" against a string orchestra representing "society".

Upon completion the handwritten original score was sent to Ms. Ridge and misplaced for several years. After reacquiring the score, life-in-general buried it in a collection of concert programs.

Fast forward to 2008, after many personal losses, and Daniel discovers the score tucked away waiting to be seen and heard. He is happy to announce that the score has been computerized into modern (readable) music notation for Oboe, Violin I&II, Viola I&II, Cello I&II, and Bass.

At 35 years in the making Daniel reports that there were only a few notational errors in the original score and only three new measures were included. The 5-minute piece sounds like he envisoned it; liltingly gay, yet dark and brooding.

[source: Daniel J. Hay]