According to Dacapo Recordings, Sunleif Rasmussen is a Danish composer who grew up in the Faroe Islands. He studied composition with Ib Norholm and Ivar Frounberg at The Royal Danish Academy of Music in Copenhagen. He has written orchestral works, chamber music, solo pieces, electroacoustic works for tape and for live electronics as well as a great deal of choral music. In 1992 he received grants from the Leonnie Sonning Foundation as well as the Danish Composer's Society. In 1997 he was awarded a three-year grant from Danish State Arts Foundation. The Song of a Child was commissioned by and dedicated to Sofia Asuncion Claro. The work was inspired by the sixth part of the American poet Walt Whitman's poem in 52 parts Song of Myself. This section deals with the innocent curiosity of the child. The piece should not be considered program music, however. The composer has simply attempted to create a playful and naive work: a musical fairytale land.