The Redwood trees of California and Oregan are among the largest living things on the planet. The Hyperion, a Coast Redwood in Northern California is the tallest tree in the world. Another Redwood, the General Sherman, is the largest; over fifty-six feet in diameter.

These trees do not, however, begin their existance as towering giants. They can spend centuries merely as young trees: saplings that struggle to reach their full potential. But as the decades wear on, they gradually reach hights equalling or surpassing their parent Sequoias.

This concert overture (written specifically for a young orchestra) is a partial description of the struggle into maturity that is a part of all living things. As we begin our lives, our individuality, talents, and self expression often seem small in comparison to that of our elders. But within each of us is the innate ablity to achieve our own personal greatness.