Summit - Shane Shanahan

Shanahan’s composition originated at a Train Station Trio residency at the California State Railroad Museum in Sacramento. It was inspired by the workers who were left out of the famous photo celebrating the driving of the Golden Spike, which completed the Transcontinental Railroad at Promontory Summit, Utah. The western portion of the railroad was built mainly by Chinese immigrants who weathered extremely harsh conditions, accomplishing feats of incredible human strength and persistence. Despite their Herculean efforts, the Chinese were not included in the iconic photo of the railroad’s completion, their essential contributions were not acknowledged, they were denied citizenship and, in some cases, were deported back to China. 

Summit seeks to highlight this lesser-known chapter of American history while musically navigating the landscapes of the Sierra Nevada Mountains, where these workers endured significant sacrifices against the backdrop of the region's remarkable natural beauty.