“The Moon Above Keeps Watch Tonight” was commissioned by the Dacamera Young Artist Program. Librettist Amanda Hollander and I have been collaborating to write an opera based on Gwangsoon Ryu, a war heroine of Korea, for several years. She made a trip out to Korea to do more research on the subject matter earlier last year and she wrote this portion of the text during that time. As we were working together very closely, she would show me the text as soon as she had something, and the moment I saw the lullaby text, I immediately fell in love with it—somehow, the melody came right into my head at first sight. I have not had a proper chance to really realize the work until this commission came to me, and I am so grateful I could finally showcase this beautiful text.