Eye of the Hawk was inspired by the beautiful and majestic Hudson Valley. I wanted to base the piece on something that would resonate with the band who would be premiering it ... my local, exceptional, middle school band. The hawk became our spirit animal, and represented to me many of the qualities that are inherent in a young person of that age – bold, instinctive, elegant – a fierce creature who “owns the sky.” The music conveys power, freedom, and confidence. Just like the students. –Susan Botti. A free downloadable interdisciplinary curriculum for teaching Eye of the Hawk is available for download at www.BandQuest.org.