The title, ‘Miles of Gold,’ was inspired by the idea of driving through a cornfield—the imagery of passing cornstalks, vivid greens and golds, and the endless scenery that is beautiful and delicate while seeming to never change. Just as a cornfield is about one huge, connected entity that contains many small elements, or a machine, which functions through the use of interlocking parts, the piece operates through the repetition and displacement of simple motivic fragments, which aim to bring out varying colors of the orchestra.
The piece was commissioned by the Akron Youth Symphony under the direction of Christopher James Lees and was premiered on May 2, 2010.