Amy Marcy Cheney Beach (1867–1944) was not just a gifted composer and pianist; she was a force of nature in a world unprepared for women with serious musical ambitions. Born in the quiet town of Henniker, New Hampshire, Beach entered the world with an uncanny musical sensibility. Stories from her earliest years border on myth: by the age of one, she could reportedly sing over 40 songs; by four, she was composing her own music.

We have taken an important resolution: to progressively embrace the iPhone as a tool for documentary filmmaking. This decision is the natural evolution of a journey that began decades ago — a journey rooted in the need and choice to adapt to technology, while always keeping subject and story at the heart of it all.

In the rich and often under-explored history of American classical music, three composers—Amy Beach, Margaret Ruthven Lang, and Helen Hopekirk—stand out not just for their talent, but for their perseverance and presence in a field still finding its voice in the 19th century.