Jordan Holloway’s “Symphony No. 1” redefines patriotism

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By Izzy Fincher

 

July 30th, 2020

 

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“A patriot is someone who wants to see their country

do the right thing,” CU composer Jordan Holloway

said. "To be a patriot is to love one’s country for what

it could be, not just what it is. This to me is the

difference between patriotism and nationalism.”

 

This daring statement inspired Holloway’s “Symphony

No.1 - The Patriot,” which premiered on YouTube July

16. The symphony, which now has over 1400 views,

is the result of a 4-month long remote collaboration

of 48 musicians from around the US, France, Canada

and Spain, organized by Holloway.  

 

The symphony is an honest, refreshing take on

American patriotism. Unlike the idealized America of

the “Star Spangled Banner” or “God Bless America,”

“The Patriot” tackles the darker sides of the American

identity - oppression of Native Americans, blacks and

other minorities, corrupt political power and protests. 

 

The four movements are “I. Landscapes,” the “innocence of a child discovering this land for the first time;” “II. Portrait” about “evil political power;” “III. Elegy,” an “image of fear, a post-apocalyptic US;” and “IV: Protest,” a “confused” outcry against oppression.  

 

Though written in 2018, the symphony is even more relevant in 2020 with Black Lives Matter, President Trump’s “corrupt” government and the fallout of COVID-19. 

 

For Holloway, “The Patriot” is his “dramatic” musical protest against the injustice’s of our time.

 

“It’s a bit unusual in the 21st century, going to the symphony to hear a political statement,” Holloway admitted. “It’s a different expression of the same thing that we have been feeling for the past several years. What I like about this medium is that I don’t have to be apologetic. I can be overtly terrified by the potential outcomes for humanity.”

 

Holloway’s musical confession resonated. As musicians in the symphony and listeners echoed his sentiments, he realized many others were also scared and outraged.

 

“I didn’t realize how much it would mean to a lot of people,” Holloway said. “People became so invested in making music together and in the message of the music. It was incredibly validating, and it’s really cool that I could provide an opportunity like that.”

 

Going forward, Holloway will comment on the 2020 political climate in his music and speak up as a LGBTQ+ and BLM ally

 

“It’s interesting to work with issues of racial injustice because I am a straight white man, and a lot of it is really speculative I guess,” Holloway said. “That’s not to say that any of it isn’t genuine or trying to be something that it’s not. I don’t want to come off as though I am experiencing any kind of oppression.”

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Instead, he aims to express his own “outcry against racial violence and the incompetence of our administration,” a message which he hopes will resonate with listeners like “Symphony No. 1.”

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To see more of Izzy's work, visit her website.  

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See this project published in CU Independent.

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