The evening opened with the world premiere of Hymn to the Earth, by local composer Donald Grantham, who was commissioned by Conspirare to turn Homer's poem into song. For a work with so supplicating a lyric, Grantham's Hymn often sounded dark, at times even threatening, with flashes of humor and an occasional folk music highlight. The final passage, sung by soloist Stefanie Moore, turned the forceful choral work into something soothing and lovely, with Grantham achieving a striking contrast between the fearful and the serene in his work.

Austin Chronicle