(upbeat music) - Women's voting rights were first recognized in Wyoming in 1869 at the gathering of the first Wyoming Territorial Legislature.

The legislature decided to pass woman's suffrage for a variety of reasons.

Probably foremost among them was the hope that this would publicize the new territory.

- I decided to name the piece "Julia Louisa Esther" after three women who I think had a very important role in starting this new phase of Wyoming's history.

- Wyoming recognizing women's right to vote gave the national movement to acknowledge women's rights a lot more leverage in their arguments, especially in their arguments with the naysayers.

- I think Stephanie Ann Boyd is so extraordinary because she's one of a few female composers.

She is among the only composers out there writing about themes and topics that address women and how we move through the world or how we impact history, how we impact art.

- In the music, you're going to hear melodies chasing each other around the orchestra.

You're going to hear conflict between different parts of the orchestra, conflict between instruments.

It's very exciting.

It's very fast and frenetic and kinetic, just like I imagine that many of these arguments and counterarguments as the people of Wyoming tried to figure out what they wanted to do and why with regards to women's suffrage.

A person's right to vote is such an important part of our experience as an American and our duties as an American, and I wanted to make sure that that sense of urgency and that emotion was in this part of the work.

- I think that the "Suffragette Symphony" and Stephanie Ann Boyd's piece really captured a lot of that.

Captured what the natural landscape is like, captured how it shapes the people, how it shapes the women in that space, and sort of gives us another another lens or framework to think and talk about kind of our geography and how we're connected to each other and what difference that can make for women and communities.

- I knew that I wanted to not just write about the way in which people got together, and created this important political change, but I wanted to be able to write about the stage on which that all happened, which is the land of Wyoming.

- Welcome to the Wyoming Symphony Orchestra's world premiere of "Julia Louisa Esther" by Stephanie Ann Boyd.

- This piece was commissioned by the Wyoming Symphony Orchestra in 2019 to celebrate the anniversary of 150 years of women's suffrage in Wyoming and 100 years nationally.

- We hope you enjoy this significant work immersed in Wyoming's stunning landscapes, and thank you for joining us for this historic performance.

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