I'm posting a few comments on some of the NGADM auditions that particularly stuck out to me, and this is one of them!
Well, wow. I wasn't aware were this good. Spend more than one day on your tracks more often damn it! This is a tremendous improvement from the last track I heard from you. It's refreshing, empowering, uplifting, emotional and overall one hell of a listening experience. I need to also highlight how amazing that intro is. Piano + string intros are so common but when they're done right they are incredibly effective. Guitar is also a great addition and while I'm not usually too fond of noodling up and down scales I think it actually works pretty well here. I'm a fan of the piano motif you introduce at the very beginning and wish that you included it more in the track, ideally towards the end where everything is dying down.
Compliments aside, this isn't perfect. The mix gets very heavy and unclear when the huge string section comes in, drowning out other elements like the guitar strumming, flute trills and percussion. Moreover, the track drags on a little too long at the end I feel. You also kind of overuse cymbal rolls to the point that you cheapen them slightly when they play in the transitions that count the most (like 4:05). Having said that, your percussion is pretty great. The timpanis really sold me, and not just the rolls but the rhythmic passages too.
Overall, this is great stuff, and like I said, a big improvement from what I heard last time I checked out your music. I'm hoping you keep up the pace for the competition. Unrelated note; does the guitar VST you use have both plucked and strummed patches? I like the sound and I've been needing a strummed guitar for a while now. Would you recommend it? Anyway, great work!