Citadel was composed to commemorate the 150th anniversary of The University of Kansas (1865 to 2015.) It begins with optional offstage chimes (one or two sets [opt.]) to depict the daily ringing of the bells in KU's World War II Memorial Campanile. Trumpets introduce a fanfare-like figure that quickly evolves into the opening theme of the work. As the music settles and becomes softer, a saxophone choir introduces a slower, more pensive middle theme intended to describe the university's academic nature. A quiet moment at the end of this section hints at the famous Rock Chalk Chant in solo horn before the chimes and fanfare return to end the work in a final, dramatic outburst of sound and color.