LARGE AND SMALL ENSEMBLES
- These two pieces look at two different sides of the clarinet, solemn and legato and lively and vibrant. The Adagio was intended to focus on bringing out the warm, rich tone of the clarinet while still using both the low and upper registers of the instrument. The main thematic idea is based off of a short motif that is twisted and turned in both the piano and clarinet. The Scherzo was used to focus on the clarinet’s ability to perform large leaps and utilize the technical side of a livelier tempo. The main harmonic structure is based off of ascending thirds; whenever a new melodic idea is introduced, the piece modulates up a third. This eventually comes back to the original key of E flat, but this time in major.
- Journey to a New Frontier is a new programmatic piece that depicts a voyage to a new and unexplored land. Painting a picture of an exciting journey, the beginning theme is lively and utilizes different combinations of instruments to explore and develop the main theme. This eventually gives way to a quieter, more pensive middle section that features various solo opportunities and communicates a reflective atmosphere full of lush and interesting harmonies. After this brief rest, the journey is back on with an exciting timpani and snare solo followed by a re visitation of the melody by the low brass. The coda offers a fast and exciting closing to our exploration.
- I wrote this piece a few years ago with a combination of instruments that I thought might be interesting to work with. I used a very small string ensemble, light percussion, oboe soloist, as well as synthesizer. I thought that the synth would communicate a tranquility that would effectively work in this situation. This piece begins with the main theme coming right in the strings and is then re introduced with the oboe. As this section goes on, a faster more rhythmic section is then introduced with percussion chiming it. It then gives way to a very mysterious, almost eerie section with strings holding out chords with random downward runs. This is meant to represent a falling down towards the earth out of sadness or fear. The theme then returns to finish the piece.
- This is a piece that was written for a high school indoor marching band as their ballad for the season. It features solo opportunities for a variety of instruments. I wanted the mallet work to be interesting, so there are many passages of running notes in both of the keyboards. The piece is supposed to evoke a sense of dreams and freeness in both the running notes in the mallets and also the rich harmonies in the low brass and woodwinds. The main theme is introduced in two solos and then a middle connecting part is played by the woodwinds alone. The theme comes back after a large crescendo and the piece finishes off with dying instrumentation (playing instruments slowly becoming fewer and fewer) until there are just mallets playing.
- This short piece was written in a day with a short theme in g minor. The second violins and violas first introduce the main theme, then as the second climax section begins, the first violins are introduced. The middle area is a more chromatic section which helps get into a broader theme, with secondary themes in the viola. Towards the end of the piece, slight dissonances are used, but they are quickly resolved. The use of suspensions are meant to signify a slight tension, which is then quickly taken away. This short work is meant as a pensive lamentation almost, as it transforms the listener to a world of quiet reflection.
- Beyond Perimeters was written in 2006 for the occasion of my high school graduation. This piece was used as the recessional march for the graduates to walk out to. The title of the piece is representative of the occasion, with a high school graduation symbolized a breaking free from the boundaries that one has lived with and now going out and exploring the world. I stuck with a simple 4/4 meter with a couple of different melodic lines. The main theme starts the piece followed by a second theme in the subdominant. This then returns to theme A. After an almost fanfare-esque key change, a more legato, flowing section comes in quickly followed, again, by the main theme, this time a step higher. This is then brought to the ending, which incorporated a slight build to the final statement.
SOLO PIANO
Black and White
Released: 2006
- 01. The Awakening
- 02. Starlight
- 03. She Walks in Beauty (To My Love)
- 04. Sudden Inspiration
- 05. Summer Waltz
- 06. Rowing on the Water
- 07. A Moment of Darkness
- 08. A Place for Us
- 09. When it Snows
- 10. Coming Home
Reflections
Released: 2005
- 01. Reflections
- 02. Home
- 03. A Misty Morning
- 04. Only You
- 05. Alone
- 06. A New Light
- 07. No More Tears
- 08. The Waking Forest
- 09. With Me
- 10. Now When The Rain Falls
