Blog

17 May 2015, News
A Vocal Spring
Pleased and relieved to have finished a trio of vocal tunes this spring: When Icicles Hang By The Wall (SATB with piano). I began work on this piece five years ago, and finally got all the "wish I would have done that" parts in good shape. Text based on a poem by William Shakespeare. Twenty-Four Hallelujahs (SATB with piano). The entire text: Hallelujah. If I Can Stop One Heart (SATB with piano). With text from Emily Dickinson from the poem of the same name. For the first time I was able to ...

25 Feb 2015, News
New Piano Solo Available
This charming piano solo emerged as I was working on a completely different piece for orchestra. I was working on a tranquil, hypnotic setting and also thinking of Erik Satie's "Vexations" and the passage struck me as entirely lovely for solo piano. The tempo is moderate, 60 bmp, with no durations shorter than an eighth note. Total duration: 3'50". Check it out!

01 Feb 2015, News
New Music and New Projects
This winter has turned out to be a busy, productive season for me. My new brass octet, "Winter Suite," is now done (and available for download!). "Winter Suite" is a four movement piece for 3 trumpets, F horn, 3 trombones, and tuba. The total duration is just over 9 minutes, and it's level is medium-difficult (grade 4). And. . . I've been named to organize and lead a choir for Easter Sunday services, so besides recruiting and rehearsing, I'll be busy arranging vocal parts and ...

29 Sep 2014, News
New Jazz Ensemble Arrangements
I just finished a series of jazz ensemble arrangements for singer Jackson Lindley, who will be performing these with the Coachella Valley High School Jazz Ensemble. The tunes are all over the board: Haven't Me You Yet and Home (Michael Buble), Move (MercyMe), and Sway (Dean Martin) -- quite an ambitious project for Jackson! Stay tuned for progress on the rehearsals and a YouTube link.

04 Apr 2014, News
Arranging for Lisa Lindley and the Coachella Valley Symphony
Very excited to start work on a new project: I've been engaged to write a set of arrangements for lyric soprano Lisa Lindley and the Coachella Valley Symphony for their concert on May 9th!!! The orchestra is led by conductor Wayne Abrevanal--this marks the third time I've had the chance to write arrangements for him and he always does a superb job with the orchestra. Mark your calendars and go see a great concert!

03 Nov 2013, News
New Chart: "Three Large Dogs (on a Very Thin Leash)"
We're happy today because our latest jazz ensemble piece is now finished. "Three Dogs On A Very Thin Leash" is a five minute modal tune scored for 5 saxes, 4 trumpets, 4 trombones, and rhythm section. It features ad lib solo spots for tenor sax, trumpet, and piano, and should be a grade 3 or 3.5 piece. This piece is about my recent experience of living in a hotel room for a couple weeks with three very large dogs. It was composed for my Jazz Composition class at the University of Oklahoma, where ...

12 Aug 2013, News
Selected to Participate in 2013 Orient/Occident Music Composer's Forum
Great news: I've been selected to participate in the Orient/Occident 2013 Music Composers' Forum! This will include a performance of my piano trio, "Z Dance" by Collegium String Quartet and Dmitro Tavanets on piano. The event is organized by KLK NewMusic and will be held in Kiev from September 24 to 29, 2013 as part of the Festival of Contemporary Music "Kiev MusicFest 2013" (Ukraine's largest forum of contemporary music culture). Sample audio file: Z Dance

19 Jun 2013, News
New music for contemporary sextet: This Is Love
Just added to my catalog: "This Is Love" - check out the score and give a listen to the recording! This is a contemporary sextet scored for soprano (range from first line F to high Gb), violin, tenor saxophone, guitar, piano, and percussion (triangle, tambourine, and shaker). This contains elements of jazz, classic broadway, early 20th Century, and post-modern sonorities -- never a dull moment! Moderately difficult: college students should be able to play this without much trouble. Although ...

14 Jun 2013, News
Work With Fresno Pacific University Continues
I'm happy to report that once again I will be working with Wayne Huber, director of Fresno Pacific University pep bands, to write some new arrangements for their 2013-2014 season. I began working with Wayne in 2006, and it has been an absolute pleasure every year. Go Sunbirds!

25 Apr 2013, News
Doctoral Defense Successful
On Monday I successfully defended my doctoral dissertation, so I'm now all set to graduate in May! For my Doctor of Musical Arts (DMA) dissertation I composed a four movement symphony, accompanied by a detailed theoretical analysis. Between composing the symphony and analyzing it, this represents about 8 months of work. While it has been a great learning experience and an exercise in disciplined scholarship, I'm relieved that it's done and I'm ready to move on the the next stage of my career. The ...

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