SDK Compositions |

Stanzas

This is a short tone poem for flute and piano. It was written after I saw someone write a Valentine's Day note to be sent with a "Cupcake Crush," a fundraiser held by a female music fraternity. Trying to think of what I would write in such a note, I found I was at a loss of written words, so I instead wrote a tone for flute and piano, designed to be possible to be played by one person (a flutist with basic keyboarding skills).

Stanzas will be premiered at the April 16th student composition recital alongside Waking.

Stanzas

LIVE Video

Waking

This is the tentative final revision of the 2nd movement of my new piece. It is meant to evoke the feeling of waking up in the morning, and willfully continuing dreams while still half asleep.

This will probably be performed in April, along with the 1st movement, Dreaming. The orchestration is woodwind quintet (flute, oboe, clarinet, horn, bassoon) plus brass quintet (2 trumpets, horn, trombone, tuba).

Waking

LIVE Video

Blatant Love Song

The title of this song is somewhat sarcastic. It is a love song, yet it is not "blatant", which implies that it is simplistic and to the point. This is a complex and introspective love song, containing complex tonalities and modified modalities that create a very different sound. This piece is stylistically different from most of my work, as I attempted to think outside the box in writing this piece. It is very close to me and I hope you enjoy it too.

Orch: Piano, Clarinet, Violin

LIVE video

Score

MIDI: Blatant Love Song

Episode 2

This is the 2nd Episode of mine for two pianos. After writing the first Episode, I was unable to compose this second episode until October of 2008. I wasn't actually sure if I'd be able to write a sequel at all, as my sketches for the second episode were all false starts. Episode 1 holds special significance for me because it was the first piece where I really began to discover my style and voice (I refer to it as my first piece that didn't completely suck). Episode 2 takes the modal properties of the first episode and twists them into something brighter. While the first piece was neutral sounding and sometimes dark sounding, this second episode is an exploration of the same modes using huge chords and sparkly bright running lines. The whole piece is based on the first chord played, as well as the modal tendencies of the first episode. It is in my mind a stylistic refinement of my tone in Episode 1. I enjoyed writing it and it was an easy piece to write, so hopefully you'll find it an easy piece to listen to and enjoy it as well!

Episode 2

Clarinet Duets

This series of four short clarinet duets was written during my first three days on campus at Illinois Wesleyan University. The initial piece was written on a whim during lunch for Kelsie Gleason and myself, both of us clarinetists. Each piece deals with certain raw emotions that arose during these first few days. It is this source of relevant emotion that enabled these pieces to be written both quickly and fluently.

Clarinet Duets (1. Duo 2. Bagatelle 3. Untitled 4. Proclamation)

Complete Score

To be human...

This piece was written for my AP Lit final project in May or June of 2008. It has an accompanying narration that is read in sections during the segments in the piece without melodic instruments. However, I cannot locate the narration currently, but if I'm able to, it will be posted here. The piece is technically untitled, but is based on the thesis statement: "To be human is to desire the unattainable." Orchestration is an unusual chamber orchestra: Cl, B. Cl, Tpt, Tbn, F. Hrn, Euph, Tba, 2 Mba, 2 Vibs, Cel. All parts are solo parts.
Human

To be, or not...

Another piece written for an AP Lit project. My first foray into writing for a vocalist, it is currently sitting on my computer in a butchered state, the result of last minute revisions to account for a lack of practice time. I keep telling myself that I'm going to fix it, but I haven't quite gotten around to it yet. I learned quite a bit in writing this piece; mostly how NOT to write for a vocalist with piano acc. I don't think of this piece as ultimately finished, as I was only able to spend a week and a half on it. MANY MANY thanks to soprano Michelle Cook for her singing skills. She managed to cover my unlearned piano part up with her singing! Mp3 will be uploaded when I eventually revise the piece.

To Be, or Not...

Episode 1

Piece written in early 2008 for two pianos. It was meant to be the first of a series of short pieces for two pianos, but the other episodes remain unfinished. The pianos are meant to be placed on opposite sides of the stage, and the "recording" reflects this.
Episode 1