On November 9 and 10, American Fork’s American Heritage School will present the world premiere of “One Nation”, a musical tribute to Civil War Veterans commemorating the 150th anniversary of the sacrifices made by those who fought to preserve this country a nation. This newly commissioned work was written specifically for the American Heritage Lyceum Philharmonic by Composer Rob Moffat and was orchestrated by Amazon Studios Award Winning Filmmaker and Composer Rob Gardner.

Each Veterans Day, the American Heritage School Lyceum Philharmonic recognizes the service and sacrifice of our nation’s servicemen and women. This year, the school will honor our Veterans and their families with One Nation, a musical production that features a professional cast of actors and singers from New York, Arizona and Utah performing original songs as well as letters and speeches from the Civil War era. Large screens displaying Civil War archive photographs will help to tell the story of those who fought and those who sacrificed on the home front.

“One Nation helps our students to connect to Veterans in an intensely personal way,” Lyceum Philharmonic Director Kayson Brown said. “Learning about the Civil War through preparing for a performance like One Nation accomplishes what no textbook can. Living with this inspiring music for weeks, hearing the letters read, feeling the music and immersing the students in a presentation with such reverence, patriotism, and love of country, inevitably changes their perspective and helps them to relate to the men and women who sacrifice for our liberty.”

Prior Veterans Day Concert attendees will remember “The Price of Freedom.” The One Nation commission was intended to provide a similar experience for Philharmonic students and the community. It shares the same performance style and tone, and the focus is not on historical dates or figures but One Nation seeks to connect both student and audience with the people of the day. One Nation, commissioned by American Heritage School, will premiere at American Heritage School Veterans Day weekend, and will subsequently go on tour March 30 – April 6, 2013 where it will be performed at Tuacahn in St. George, Utah, the Smith Center in Las Vegas, and the Mesa Arts Center in Arizona.

What: “One Nation”, A Veterans Day Civil War Tribute Concert Premiere Event

When: November 9th and 10th, 2012

Time: 7:30 p.m.

Where: American Heritage School, 736 N. 1100 E., American Fork, Utah

Tickets: $10 Adult, $6 Student or Veteran, $40 Family (up to 12 related members of the same household). Available online at www.American-Heritage.org/show or by phone at 801.642.0055.

Proceeds from the concerts directly benefit American Heritage Orchestra programs and additional donations in support of the school and students can be made to American Heritage directly, or online at www.American-Heritage.org/Home/Give.

About Rob Gardner

Rob Gardner has composed for film, television, studio recordings, and the concert stage. Among his works are four stage musicals: Blackbeard, The Price of Freedom, Twelve Princesses and Joan of Arc. Rob is also the author of several sacred oratorios, He is Jesus Christ, Joseph Smith the Prophet, Saints and Pioneers, and most recently, Lamb of God. He was also a member of and arranger for the bestselling 7-man a cappella group “Two Five Nine.” Among his other credits are several documentary films for which he contributed music. Rob graduated with a BS in Business from Brigham Young University and did graduate studies in film music composition at the University of Southern California in the prestigious Scoring for Motion Pictures and Television program. He is co-founder and president of Spire Music, a nonprofit organization dedicated to producing concerts and superior music recordings of a sacred and inspiring nature. Learn more at http://www.robgardnermusic.com.

About Rob Moffat

Rob Moffat is a performer, director, choreographer, voice teacher, composer and production manager. He has performed in a number of theaters throughout Utah, Arizona, Nevada, and California. Most notably, he was a member of the cast of the Las Vegas company of Monty Python’s Spamalot. He graduated from BYU with a degree in Music Dance Theater and toured with the BYU Young Ambassadors. He currently teaches Voice in the Theater Department of Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah. Learn more at www.RobMoffat.com.

About The American Heritage Lyceum Philharmonic

The American Heritage Lyceum Philharmonic has been named “Best Youth Performing Ensemble” by Best of State® Utah for four consecutive years. Their 2012 joint release with The Piano Guys, Beethoven’s 5 Secrets, spent 48 days as the No. 1 download on the iTunes Classical Charts. This professional-level student ensemble has performed with David Archuleta, The 5 Browns, Alex Boyé, Peter Breinholt, Jenny Oaks Baker, Paul Cardall, Michael Ballam, Dallyn Vail Bayles, George Dyer, Jordan Bluth, and Cactus Jack La MARR. The Lyceum Philharmonic recently released its first commercial album entitled Hearts & Minds, which features sacred LDS music alongside classical masterworks by Mahler, Bernstein, and others. These accomplished young musicians are all high-school aged and come from schools across the state of Utah to participate in the after-school Lyceum Orchestras Program at American Heritage School.

About American Heritage School

American Heritage School is an independent, non-profit organization with the motto of “Educating Hearts and Minds for Latter-day Families.” American Heritage began in 1970 with less than 50 students in grades K-6 after the BY High and the Brigham Young Training School closed on the BYU campus. American Heritage has since grown to become a nationally accredited school with 650 students in grades K-12, an international student program, a distance education program, and community music programs – including the American Heritage Lyceum Orchestras, the Lyceum Music Festival, and the American Heritage Youth Chorus. Learn more at www.American-Heritage.org.