“I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day” is a Christmas carol based on the poem titled “Christmas Bells” written by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. The author’s life was full of love and happiness, but also darkness and hopelessness. The descriptive emotions are a rollercoaster ride of ups and downs and back up again. Words such as “sweet, peace, good-will, ringing, singing, despair, hate, mocks, etc.” But the final phrase is the realization that “God is not dead, nor doth He sleep; The Wrong shall fail, The Right prevail, With peace on earth, good-will to men.”

As a child I never understood why the adults in my family loved this song so much. But now that I am older and have actually experienced ups and downs, I appreciate how relatable it is. I have my own testimony that God is not dead, nor doth He sleep. He is very much alive and aware of each one of us and our circumstances. I originally composed this song to play at a family Christmas party. I wrote it as a piano and violin duet because I thought my niece played the violin. After I finished writing it, she informed me that she actually plays the viola. So, I added on the viola part to play as a trio. I love how it all came together and that all three instruments compliment each other.