Videos

View live performances & follow scores

Chamber Music

Drift (2020)

For Violin and Piano

“Drift” was written in the Spring of 2020, using a sketch for a tendril of a melody that had been jotted down a year or two previously. This video was taken from the premiere performance at the Contemporary Music Festival of Indiana State University.

Prelude and Bacchanal

For violin, horn, and piano

I wrote this fairly wild movement in 2003 for Brian Kilp, who premiered it in Bangkok that summer. This performance is taken from my “Spring and Fall” CD.

In Silence Under Many A Star

For clarinet, Violin, and Piano

In Silence Under Many a Star was commissioned by John Spicknall, and completed in 1998. It was premiered by John and Sharilyn Spicknall (clarinet and violin) and Martha Krasnican (piano) that fall. The title is taken from the penultimate stanza of Walt Whitman’s “Death Carol”.

Between Spring and Summer

For Saxophone quartet

“Between Spring and Summer” for saxophone quartet was written in late spring/early summer 2005, which is the only significance behind the title. This suite of three short movements was commissioned by Cory Barnfield for the Louisville Saxophone Quartet.

Songs

Texts by Medora C. Addison

Wasted Hours and The Days to Come were composed in 2020 for Natalia Duarte

Texts by Carl Sandburg

Prayers of Steel, Grass, and Halstead Street Car were composed in 2020 for Rodrigo Cruz. Performed October 2020 at the Contemporary Music Festival of Indiana State University.

Texts by Walt Whitman

O You Whom I Often and Silently Come

This song was the winner of the first Ned Rorem Award for Song Composition in 2003. The performance is by mezzo-soprano Sarah Stone and pianist Martha Krasnican.

Sometimes with one I love

The performance is by mezzo soprano Sarah Stone and pianist Martha Krasncan, and it taken from my CD “Spring and Fall.”

Viola Concerto

I. Andante

In the first movement, rather than the traditional brilliant sonata-allegro form, I chose to write a gentle Andante highlighting the viola’s dark, lyrical character, which I have always felt was the instrument’s most attactive feature.

II. Adagio patetico

The second movement is largely an expansion and elaboration of a movement from “Links,” a set of short pieces for four instruments written around 2004.

III. Estampie: Allegro Vigoroso

I happened to come across a performance of an “Estampie,” a mediaeval dance, by an early music group on YouTube. The melody, and accompanying drum rhythm, lodged itself in my memory, and I soon realized that something with a similar feel would be the perfect way to end my concerto.

Christmas Music

Winter Wonderland

Performed by the Wright Brothers with the Columbus Philharmonic

Joy to the World

In 2001, the year after I had taught counterpoint for the first time, I had the idea to write an instrumental arrangement of “Joy To the World” in Baroque style. For many years, the song was attributed to Handel; though the attribution is now believed to be false, I still decided to work in my best imitation of Handel’s style, including an extended fugue.

Arrangements

Gigout: Grand Choeur Dialogué (arr. for band)

This is a MIDI demo of my wind orchestra arrangement of Gigout’s organ masterpiece Grand Choeur Doublé,  created with Finale 27 driving Noteperformer 3.

Weber: Two Arias from Der Freischutz (arr. for voice, piano, and viola)

This is my transcription of two arias from the beginning of act III of Weber’s Der Freischutz, performed by Natalia Duarte, soprano, Donna Clarke, viola, and Martha Krasnican, piano.

Looking for More Videos?