The following are a few videos which were created based on several of my compositions.
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Ellie’s Lullaby
Premiered at the Webster University Music Department’s Thursday Noon Recital, March 25, 2004. The performers are Jane Dick – Flute I; Amanda DuClos – Flute II; Katy Barker – Cello. This piece is inspired by my beautiful daughter, Ellie Faith. The melody is an original tune I hummed to help Ellie go to sleep when she was a baby. (The movie of the performance was edited by Ellie’s mom.)
Random Structures (2004/2013)
The first movement consists of eight separate phrases. Each is based on a twelve tone row taken from a matrix built on the tone row of E-G#-F#-A-G-C#-D-Eb-B-C-A#-F. The following is the description of how the first movement will be performed. First, one of the members of the trio roles two dice to determine the order of the numbered phrases. Each phrase must be used twice and only twice. In the event the dice rolls a phrase more than two times, the performer will roll again until each phrase has been utilized as described. If the dice rolls a single phrase twice in a row, the dice will be rolled again so that no phrase immediately repeats itself.
A Dickens’ Carol Trailer (2012/2013)
Shortly after Christmas 2012, I sat down to improvise some rhythmic gestures similar to ones I’ve heard in movies. What manifested in a day’s time was the soundtrack for a fictional movie trailer of A Dickens’ Christmas Carol.
Evan’s World – Race to the Bus Stop & Naptime (2010/2013)
My son, Evan, had always loved to pretend he was racing either mommy or daddy to the bus stop (a corner on the street). The contest never took very long and he was always victorious. Evan was always great at taking naps. We had our routine down pat. Even though he was past the napping stage by the time these two works were written, the whole experience was still fresh in my memory.
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A.D., a piece for guitar and recorder, was inspired by a few different aspects of the life and work of Albrecht Dürer (1471-1528). First, the title is derived from his initials, A.D.. Secondly, the pitch class was governed by the tones found in Dürer’s name, [A, B, C, D, E]. In order to provide a simple harmonic framework, I used only [A, C, D, E] in the guitar. Conversely, all five pitches are used in the melodic material of the recorder. In order to determine the length of the piece, I made several calculations which were derived from various numerical elements of Dürer’s life. I chose his age at the time of death. The composition is made up of fifty six measures. I then began to peruse his works for paintings to inspire the mood and character of the music. “View of Arco” jumped out at me with its detailed colors and beautiful landscape. Based on the story behind the painting, traveling music in a Renaissance style became the chosen setting. Finally, I based the instrumentation on Dürer’s wife, who was an amateur harpist. However, as I researched Dürer’s paintings, I came across, “Winged Man In Idealistic Clothing Playing a Lute.” Desiring a plucked string sound and accessibility, I chose the guitar. The recorder, used as the principal melodic instrument, compliments the work’s Renaissance charm.
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