This concerto was commissioned in 2003, as a Christmas gift from Dawn Marie Edwards to her husband, Michael Hill.  Bass legend, Gary Karr wrote, "... We have just finished reading the 2nd movement and we were gob-smacked!  This is the best concerto for bass I have ever seen..."

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The work is set in the traditional three movements but each movement is meant to reflect different periods of Dawn and Michael's life together.  Beginning in the Black Hills of South Dakota, the first movement takes us through images of Mt. Rushmore, wide open spaces and years long past.  "Tango" calls back memories of the beginning of a musical career in Spain, while the final movement, "Irish Jig & Reel" brings us back to the Black Hills and Irish immigrants who chose South Dakota to begin their new lives.

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This concerto honors the tremendous virtuosity of great bassists, past and present.  It was premiered to a standing ovation in Silver Springs, SD, 2007, featuring Michael Hill and the Black Hills Symphony Orchestra.