FANFARE FOR GRETA by Jonathan Ring

Inspired by young Greta Thunberg and her determination to speak out and be heard regarding action on climate change, I began to think that if anyone were deserving of a fanfare, it would most certainly be Greta!
The melody of this short fanfare is derived from 2 textual sources:
1. The opening half of the melody is based on the words from a poster which Greta displayed outside of the Swedish Parliament building when she began her solitary protest in August of 2018. The poster read “Skolstrejk för klimatet" (School strike for the climate).
2. The second half of the melody is based on words Greta used in a leaflet which she distributed while protesting which read, in part “...you adults are shitting on my future.”
The fanfare begins with the 2-part melody alone, as Greta was when she began her protest. Gradually, more voices join in canon, just as others had started to be aware of her message and decided to join Greta in her efforts. The melody piles up more frequently as each iteration is presented louder, accompanied by a rising figure in the bass as well as modulations upward in key, all of which symbolize her growing support, the urgency of her message and her unwavering determination to be heard.
Finally, all of the voices join in together stating the melody in unison, representing the over 4 million participants worldwide who, as of 2019, have since joined Greta’s voice in calling for definitive and decisive action on climate change.
After a large, hopeful and climactic crescendo, there is a pause - the fight is not over and the eventual outcome uncertain. Greta’s solo voice is heard again, this time combining music representing the word "future" with a traditional “Amen”, symbolizing both hope that action will lead to a better future or that prayer may be all that is left if nothing is done.
Jonathan Ring (2019)