Commissions
Valse Toraja: for Solo Euphonium and Wind Ensemble (2017)
Valse Toraja was commissioned by Dr. William Staub in the memory of Taran Vogts, a friend and colleague at the East Carolina University School of Music whose love and friendship touched all he encountered. This piece draws inspiration from the lives and traditions of the people of Tana Toraja in the highlands of Sulawesi Island in eastern Indonesia. I became familiar with this city and its culture through a Ted Talk given by Kelli Swazey at TEDMED in 2013 entitled: “Life That Doesn’t End With Death.” In this talk she explores the differences in the social construction around death in the Torajan culture as compared to Western life. In Tana Toraja, death is experienced not as a singular event, but as a social process and a focal point in their culture with funerals being grandiose celebrations lasting from days to weeks with much dancing, singing, and food. Because of the expensive nature of funeral ceremonies they can be held months or even years after a persons physical death. During that time the deceased continues to be a member of the household and is referred to as "to makala," a sick person, or "to mama," a person who is asleep. They are symbolically fed and cared for, and the family at this time will begin a number of rituals, which notify the wider community around them that one of their members is undergoing the transition from this life to the next. This beautiful funeral ceremony embodies their interpersonal perspective on death and it's also a moment of self-awareness. A moment when people think about who they are, their place in civilization, and their role in the human experience as a whole. Swazey explains best a saying in Toraja that “...all people will become grandparents, and what this means is that after death, we all become part of the ancestral line that anchors us between the past and the present and will define who our loved ones are into the future. So essentially, we all become grandparents to the generations of human children that come after us. And this metaphor of membership in the greater human family is the way that children also describe the money that they invest in these sacrificial buffaloes that are thought to carry people's soul from here to the afterlife, and children will explain that they will invest the money in this because they want to repay their parents the debt for all of the years their parents spent investing and caring for them.” In this piece I take that concept to heart. Therefore it is riddled with passages of long chords exchanged through different ensemble combinations that, though their harmonic quality is not changed, the texture is slowly and seamlessly altered illustrating the fluidity of human life. Coupled with this, the solo euphonium is a never changing entity that symbolizes our connectedness through time as a single human race. Finally, the entire piece as a whole is meant to represent the continuality of humanity before and after we pass through. In the beginning we have soft, fragile, and almost transparent textures that slowly take shape into a cohesive thought. All the while there is a continuous building to the climax of the entire piece: a ruckus chorus of the entire ensemble engaging in multiple contrapuntal gestures that intricately fit together into an ever-moving motor as the solo euphonium sings in joy above the texture. Though it could continue on, the piece ends almost suddenly, quietly contemplating – just as humankind endures after we have gone, still we are ever present in the humanity we have left behind. |
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Song of Hiawatha: a melodrama for flute, piano, and two voices (2016)
Commissioned by Dr. Christine Gustafson, professor of applied flute at East Carolina University and great friend.
Commissioned by Dr. Christine Gustafson, professor of applied flute at East Carolina University and great friend.
The Line Between Two Trees (2015)
Commissioned by Dr. Douglas Monroe, professor of applied clarinet at East Carolina University. "The Line Between Two Trees" is an exploration in tone colors of the three instruments: flute, clarinet, and piano. For me, this piece symbolizes the journey of finding ones identity between the natural pillars of ones upbringing, represented by "two trees". This journey could be soft and simple, or wild and bombastic. |
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Watersong (2014)
Commissioned by Bill Staub, director of the ECU Symphonic Band and athletic bands, this piece was to be a feature on a concert series of living composers. “Watersong” is a tone poem for band. This piece is influenced by my fascination with water. Throughout much of history water has been seen as a source of healing, a source of life, and also a source of terror and mystery. |
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Conversation at Dawn (2013)
Commissioned by the performer, Bailey Rose, Conversations at Dawn is a work for solo alto saxophone. This piece explores ranges and limits of tonality pushing close on the cusp of post-tonal. This piece is meant to be a depiction of the awakening of the earth as the sun rises on a new day. The piece has an ever ascending arch, gradually climbing the register of the instrument until the climax in the final few bars. There are several different characters in this piece. The birds: characterized by the scuttling, rapid notes; the wind: being brought to life by the lyrical sections; the sun: being painted by octave leaps upwards; and several interactions of these melodies one to another.
Commissioned by the performer, Bailey Rose, Conversations at Dawn is a work for solo alto saxophone. This piece explores ranges and limits of tonality pushing close on the cusp of post-tonal. This piece is meant to be a depiction of the awakening of the earth as the sun rises on a new day. The piece has an ever ascending arch, gradually climbing the register of the instrument until the climax in the final few bars. There are several different characters in this piece. The birds: characterized by the scuttling, rapid notes; the wind: being brought to life by the lyrical sections; the sun: being painted by octave leaps upwards; and several interactions of these melodies one to another.
Memory (2013)
This was a commission I received from a dear friend of mine, Willie Santiago. He wished for a piece to go on his next concert that was both beautiful and unique. I took the challenge and began sketching ideas for the piece. Meanwhile I contacted my good friend, and choreographer, Nicole Gemmell and told her I had an idea for a piece that involved dancers. I finished the work and then took it to her for her creativity to take over. She then began the choreographing process and ran the scene by me. I absolutely loved it. With the music in the hands of the performers and Nicole working with the dancers, the project was underway. I attended many rehearsals of both groups to offer suggestions and guide them through the musical story. Overall this was a hugely rewarding experience. |
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Original Works
Kikimora: a ballet in two acts (2016)
Written by myself and long time friend/choreographer, Nicole Gemmell, this piece was envisioned as a ballet. Over time, through busy schedules and unavoidable conflicts it found its premiere as a tone poem in two acts, with narrator.
The story takes place in a prehistoric village deep in a secluded forest. The people are kept in the village mostly by old folktales of evil monster and demons that lurk in the forest, but one legend is best known of them all. A group of young, adventurous girls sneak out into the forest to see if there is any truth to the age-old legends they have been told about the magical witch, Kikimora.
Overture - ACT 1
ACT 2
Written by myself and long time friend/choreographer, Nicole Gemmell, this piece was envisioned as a ballet. Over time, through busy schedules and unavoidable conflicts it found its premiere as a tone poem in two acts, with narrator.
The story takes place in a prehistoric village deep in a secluded forest. The people are kept in the village mostly by old folktales of evil monster and demons that lurk in the forest, but one legend is best known of them all. A group of young, adventurous girls sneak out into the forest to see if there is any truth to the age-old legends they have been told about the magical witch, Kikimora.
Overture - ACT 1
ACT 2
I Can't Breathe (in response to the murder of Eric Garner by New York City Police) (2014)
This piece for solo clarinet covers a breadth of emotions. It is a personal response to the disaster in New York City as well as across the nation. When I first came in contact with the full video of Eric Garner being harassed by the officers I couldn't believe my eyes. I researched the incident reading article after article and watching news cast one after another until I was unable to contain myself. This piece is completely visceral, coming directly from an emotional pouring out onto paper. This piece is not meant to be intellectual or flashy but to convey raw human emotion when faced with tragedy.
This piece for solo clarinet covers a breadth of emotions. It is a personal response to the disaster in New York City as well as across the nation. When I first came in contact with the full video of Eric Garner being harassed by the officers I couldn't believe my eyes. I researched the incident reading article after article and watching news cast one after another until I was unable to contain myself. This piece is completely visceral, coming directly from an emotional pouring out onto paper. This piece is not meant to be intellectual or flashy but to convey raw human emotion when faced with tragedy.
In The Field (2014)
"In The Field" is a piece for three female voices. This piece reflects the longing of humans to connect with nature. In this piece vocal abilities with timbre and texture are stretched to explore new territory not found in traditional vocal music. The performers are asked throughout to go against traditional techniques in order to communicate the primal nature of the piece.
"In The Field" is a piece for three female voices. This piece reflects the longing of humans to connect with nature. In this piece vocal abilities with timbre and texture are stretched to explore new territory not found in traditional vocal music. The performers are asked throughout to go against traditional techniques in order to communicate the primal nature of the piece.
Heritage (No Sunglasses Allowed) (2013)
I was asked to write this piece following the premiere of another choir work (SATB) entitled "Windows", but this was specifically requested to be for women's choir. Following that request I decided to not take my own lyrics, but instead collaborate with another student here on campus. I thought since it was for women's choir why not find a female poet to write for me. After searching for a while, I stumbled upon a slam poetry group called "Word of Mouth" through which I met Eliza Monroe, a performer and poet. We got together and she wrote this poem which I set the music for a cappella women's choir (SSSSAAAA all divisi) This piece, combined with the music, is a reflection of the longing of so many that wish to know their heritage. It strives to take the listener on a journey. With the use of extended techniques, like vocal percussion, the piece tells the story of floating atmosphere, to longing and passion, anger and frustration, and finally culminating in the descent and spiral of confusion and almost chaos with tribal like homorhythmic passages. But through that chaos there is unity, and through unity triumph. |
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Return (for Jackie) (2013)
This piece was written for Jackie Traish for her senior recital. The instrumentation is Flute, Piano, and various Percussion. Return is quite simply an adventure story. |
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