Advent is one in a series of compositions that were inspired by stained glass windows at the composer's church. The particular window that contained images of the Crucifixion brought Curtis to compose three stanzas on text of the same title by Poet Laureate Donald Hall. Each stanza also features three variations, so the originally stated melody undergoes a total of nine iterations. Following a twenty year career with the U.S. Navy Band and a teaching position at George Mason University, Curtis is currently a Special Assistant Professor of Music at Colorado State University.