American Variations is a set of variations based on an original theme realized in different musical styles: jazz, ragtime, post-modern, klezmer, and pop-rock. It was written for American clarinetist Joshua Anderson. The overall structure depicts a metaphorical journey through different times in American history, at both the macro and micro levels. Specifically, the third variation, subtitled “Strange, strange time,” focuses on the frustration and disappointment that Americans are currently experiencing in a fractured political and cultural climate. The piece ends with a variation subtitled “Coming True,” in which the music depicts the power of the American Dream and resilience of the human spirit to overcome differences in favor of unity and progress.