>> WHEN A SOLDIER COMES HOME FROM WAR, THEY TRY AND LEAVE IT ON THE BATTLEFIELD. BUT A LOCAL COMPOSER IS TRYING TO BRING THE BATTLEFIELD TO LIFE. GULF COAST NEWS REPORTER BRETT LEE ONLY SHOWS US THE SOUNDS OF WAR PUT TO MUSIC IN TONIGHT’S STORY TO SHARE. >> AT PEACE LUTHERAN CHURCH IN FORT GROUP SHINES LIGHT ON STORY WRITTEN LONG AGO. >> COMES INTO THE WATER LOOKING FOR EXCITEMENT, BUT THEN VERY FIRST >> UNIT DECIMATED. HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE THOMAS LOVE ALWAYS THE COMPOSER OF THIS COURT WITNESS A PIECE INSPIRED BY THE CIVIL WAR JOURNAL’S OF THE UNION SOLDIER JAMES WAXLER OUT TO YOU. >> DEPICT A STORY OF WAR THROUGH MUSIC. VERY HONESTLY AND CARE FOR >> THROUGH VOCALS KEYS AND A STRING QUARTET AVOID. AND MATT KOHLER ARTISTIC DIRECTOR OF THE MASTER SINGERS AND A DESCENDANT OF BLACKS LOU, TELL THE HONEST ACCOUNT OF WAR. THERE’S MOMENTS WHERE >> THE MUSIC IS MEANT TO SOUND LIKE WAR. THERE’S MOMENTS WHERE IT CREATES GREAT TENSION. THOSE MOMENTS CREATES THE PIECE HIGHLIGHTS WEXLER’S HOPE OF WHAT IT’S LIKE TO BATTLE FOR BROTHERHOOD. >> I’M NOT INSIDE. >> ALSO LAX, THERE’S DESPAIR IN THE GREEN VALLEY. WE KNOW NUMBER OVER 3,000 LISTENS TO WHAT IT SOUNDS LIKE TO HAVE A BULLET PASS CLOSE AND I DID MY BEST TO IMITATE THAT. IT VIOLATES >> ALTHOUGH THE SCORE IS INSPIRED BY JOURNALS FROM OVER A CENTURY AGO, THE BOY AND COLDER HOPE THAT HE STRIKES A CHORD WITH THOSE WHO LISTEN TODAY ARE CHANGE PEOPLE. >> IT SAID IT SHOULD MAKE US. QUESTION WHO WE ARE. IT SHOULD MAKE US QUESTION OUR BELIEFS SO MUCH CAN BE TOLD MUSIC. I CAN’T HOLD THAT’S ANOTHER WHOLE LAYER OF THE HUMAN EXPERIENCE >> THAT WORDS DON’T HAVE IN FORT MYERS, B
Cape Coral man collaborates to create Civil War composition
Updated: 10:49 PM EDT Mar 25, 2026
At Peace Lutheran Church last weekend, a group shined light on a story written long ago.”He comes into the war looking for excitement, but then in the very first action, his unit is decimated,” said composer Thomas LaVoy.LaVoy composed “The Witness,” a piece inspired by the Civil War journals of a Union soldier, James Waxler.Through vocals, keys, and a string quartet, LaVoy and Matt Koller, Artistic Director of “The Mastersingers,” and a descendant of Waxler, tell the honest accounts of war.There’s moments where the music is meant to sound like war, there’s moments where it creates great tension, and there’s moments where it creates levity.The piece highlights Waxler’s hope of what it’s like to battle for brotherhood, and his despair in the grim reality.”I hope that people are able to leave questioning anything. Art should change people. It should make us question who we are. It should make us question our beliefs,” said Koller.DOWNLOAD the free Gulf Coast News app for your latest news and alerts on breaking news, weather, sports, entertainment, and more on your phone or tablet. And check out the Very Local Gulf Coast app to stream news, entertainment and original programming on your TV.
FORT MYERS, Fla. —
At Peace Lutheran Church last weekend, a group shined light on a story written long ago.
“He comes into the war looking for excitement, but then in the very first action, his unit is decimated,” said composer Thomas LaVoy.
LaVoy composed “The Witness,” a piece inspired by the Civil War journals of a Union soldier, James Waxler.
Through vocals, keys, and a string quartet, LaVoy and Matt Koller, Artistic Director of “The Mastersingers,” and a descendant of Waxler, tell the honest accounts of war.
There’s moments where the music is meant to sound like war, there’s moments where it creates great tension, and there’s moments where it creates levity.
The piece highlights Waxler’s hope of what it’s like to battle for brotherhood, and his despair in the grim reality.
“I hope that people are able to leave questioning anything. Art should change people. It should make us question who we are. It should make us question our beliefs,” said Koller.
DOWNLOAD the free Gulf Coast News app for your latest news and alerts on breaking news, weather, sports, entertainment, and more on your phone or tablet. And check out the Very Local Gulf Coast app to stream news, entertainment and original programming on your TV.