The title of this work stems from the idea of moving haltingly but powerfully from darkness into bright light, my first image stemming from "not day"--derived from "Dayton", the name of the university that commissioned the work. Kah! (Out of Darkness) is metaphorically about digging into that darkness and exorcising demons. The potency and importance of light--crucial to all life--intensified as I was writing the work, as the days of autumn gradually but inexorably shortened.
The work was commissioned by the University of Dayton in celebration of their sesquicentennial. The first performance was given by the University of Dayton Symphonic Wind Ensemble, February, 2000.