The spoken texts for the work come from the Ellis Island Oral History Project, an historic collection of interviews with actual immigrants about their experiences emigrating to America. After extensive research in this archive, Boyer chose the stories of seven immigrants who came to America through Ellis Island from disparate nations between 1910-1940. He fashioned short monologues from the actual words of these immigrants, and wove them into an orchestral tapestry which frames and comments on their stories - by turns poignant, humorous, moving, and inspiring. 

The work concludes with a reading of the Emma Lazarus poem  The New Colossus ("Give me your tired, your poor..."), providing an emotionally powerful ending to this celebration of our nation of immigrants.  Boyer's  Ellis Island  has received over 170 performances by 75 orchestras since its 2002 premiere; this will be the work's first performance at Carnegie Hall.