In the early Fall of 1974, I received a letter from Diane Bish, offering me $700 to orchestrate her six-movement work for organ and orchestra, Festival Te Deum. I had just begun graduate studies at Indiana University that Fall, and a few weeks into the project, I realized I would not be able to complete by the time she needed it for its premiere in January, 1975. So, I handed over two movements to my father, John Canfield, to orchestrate, and presented Diane with my orchestrations of movements 1, 2, 5, and 6. I played first violin in the premiere of the work at Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church in Fort Lauderdale, since it was given early enough in January that I could get back to Indiana University for my studies when they resumed later in the month.
