The Bishop’s Boys | for Orchestra

Andy McFarlane

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I grew up near Dayton, Ohio—“the birthplace of aviation”—where the legacy of the Wright Brothers was more than just history; it was a source of quiet inspiration. This piece, The Bishop’s Boys, takes its title from the affectionate nickname for Wilbur and Orville Wright, sons of Bishop Milton Wright and Susan Catherine Koerner Wright. Their father nurtured their curiosity through books and debate, while their mother—a gifted mechanic and mathematician—passed down a rare technical intuition.

This piece was written during a difficult creative block. In returning to the Wrights’ story, I found renewed energy—not just in their triumphs, but in their quiet discipline and resolve. The Bishop’s Boys marks a turning point in my compositional journey: a shift from theoretical intensity toward rediscovering the personal musical voice I first developed near Dayton.

Through this music, I hope to express the spirit of freedom, discipline, and determination that lifted the Wright Brothers—and maybe all of us—into flight.

-Andy