Composer / Conductor
I have two world premieres back-to-back this summer that I want to share with you, along with some exciting performances in Europe: JULY 7, LONDON: In Aeternum for SATB a cappella chorus. Premiere with the BBC Singers, Eric Whitacre conducting. More information. JULY 18, ORLANDO: Miniature Suite – 5 short works for wind ensemble…. continued
I’ve been incredibly fortunate in my compositional life of late, and wanted to briefly share a few things you might find interesting or relevant (especially if you’re a band, orchestra, or choral nerd!). Upcoming premieres July 7, 2017: SATB choral work for the BBC Singers conducted by Eric Whitacre. July 18, 2017:… continued
Since 1995, I’ve been designing, coding, and maintaining my website myself, and it had grown into a byzantine mess of barely-working PHP and CSS held together with duct-tape and hope. Things like SoundCloud, YouTube videos, online shop, etc have all been bolted on Frankenstein-style over the years. Also, it was unusable on phones (the last redesign was… continued
I wrote a concerto for Alto Sax and Wind Ensemble. (open http://www.concertoforaltosaxophone.com now if you want to listen while you read) It was inevitable – this was my instrument all through high school and undergrad., though now I only play very occasionally, usually in Austria with a community band there, and then only… continued
I’ve been writing so much music over the past year, I haven’t taken time to talk about any of it! Tomorrow, 16 March, the Indiana All-State Honor Band, under the direction of John Lynch (Director of Bands at UGA, soon to be Sydney Conservatorium!), will premiere my brand new work, sevenfive. Based… continued
Hey y’all! (I grew up in Arkansas, I have license to say “y’all”) The Texas Music Educators Association convention is 11 days away! This year, I’ll be giving a clinic with composer Alex Shapiro, and conductors Robert Sloan and Miller Asbill covering technology and music education – everything from our pieces that use… continued
The annual Midwest Clinic in Chicago is almost here, and I’m very fortunate to have three performances of my work this year, as well as giving my Midwest debut as a clinician with two clinics! If you’ll be there, I hope you’re able to come to one or all of these, and please say… continued
The guest residency season erupts this coming week, when I travel to the University of Missouri to work with their Wind Symphony and coach their well-known New Music Ensemble. Concert is Monday night, 9/30, and it’s free!! The Wind Symphony is performing my Anthem and Ecstatic Fanfare, so if you have… continued
I’m the “TBA 2013 Featured Composer” this week at the convention in San Antonio, TX, and having a great time! The Greater Dallas Youth Orchestras Wind Ensemble gave a fantastic performance of “Suite Dreams” yesterday, and this afternoon the Cedar Park Winds are about to open their concert with “”, and tonight, the USAF… continued
It’s only three weeks until I’m in Chicago for the 2012 Midwest Band and Orchestra Clinic! I haven’t been to Midwest since 2009, so I’m particularly excited return this year and see everyone’s haggard-drank-too-much-last-night-8am-concert-music-soaked visages! I’m fortunate and honored to have four performances this year, including the USAF Band performing two movements of… continued
My newest work for large ensemble and electronics, Solace, is now in rehearsals at the University of North Carolina Greensboro. Yesterday was the first rehearsal with electronics, and the first time I’ve gotten to hear the piece – always an overwhelming experience. The band sounded great, especially since it’s still early in the process,… continued
SHORT VERSION: Music education is important Writing “easy” music is hard Add electronics: The Machine Awakes, for young band + electronics, premieres this Thursday night, May 10th, at Cedar Ridge High School in Hillsboro, NC! Score and Recording (MIDI) MUCH LONGER VERSION: A vital component of my mission as a composer is music… continued