Starshine (2021)
for concert band
Starshine was inspired by the awe and apprehension I feel about outer space and all that it may contain. The piece tells the story of a lonely soul, portrayed by the solo bassoon line, trapped in a small spacecraft adrift in space, uncertain about where they are going, pondering the meaning of existence and why we are all here. They begin to encounter different objects in space, large and small, pleasant and unnerving, and after a scary encounter on a planet, comes away from the experience with the knowledge that some questions must be left unanswered as they marvel at the beauty and mystery of the universe around them. The final sections of the piece contain a quote from the short melody contained in the Epitaph of Seikilos, the oldest notated complete musical work. The song, written by Seikilos for his late wife, presents to the listener an all-important reminder: "shine, have no grief at all, life exists only for a short while, and time demands his due."
The Banach-Tarski Paradox (2021)
for Danny Holt’s Piano/Percussion Project
The Banach-Tarski Paradox is a theorem in geometry which states that given a solid sphere in 3‑dimensional space, there exists a decomposition of the sphere into a finite number of parts, which can then be put back together in a different way to yield two identical copies of the original. The process involves using an infinite number of points on the sphere's surface to create the parts which are then only moved or rotated.
For this piece I drew comparisons between the theorem and musician Danny Holt, as from one person, two distinct performers emerge (pianist and percussionist), yet they are the same. The piece aims to represent the theorem aurally: a "paradoxical" feel is created within the music, with seemingly disjoint and dissonant rhythms and meters coming together to form one whole, moments when the piece seems to shift and phase between different time signatures, and pointillistic sections that represent the infinite number of points on a sphere's surface.
for unaccompanied viola
Five Iterations for Solo Viola (2021)
These five "iterations" for solo viola explore different textures or techniques that the instrument is capable of realizing. Each should be played freely, in terms of expression, phrasing, and dynamics, to the extent that the score allows. Certain elements of the score are left intentionally ambiguous to allow room for the performer to make artistic decisions. Tempo markings may be followed as general guidelines instead of as fact, and if no tempo is given it is up to the performer's discretion to choose a suitable tempo to fit their take on the piece. As such, every performance is a unique expression of each performer’s interpretation of the music.
for NOW Ensemble
Synchronicities (2021)
Synchronicity, or “meaningful coincidences,” is a concept introduced by psychologist
Carl Jung to describe events that aren’t proven to have any causal relationship to one
another, yet seem to be meaningfully related. For example, one may notice a particular
number or word appearing repeatedly— seemingly everywhere. Or, one may have been
thinking of messaging a friend just moments before receiving a message from that
friend. Synchronicities aims to recreate this feeling using a recurring motif found
throughout the piece in intentionally subtle ways. This can be seen when different
sections (without repeated material) feel connected by an element that is not
immediately apparent. Underlying motifs and ideas continue to appear throughout and
lead the listener to look for the meaning behind the coincidences.
for steel ensemble
Crystal Clear (2021)
Crystal Clear was inspired by happy summer days and good times spent with friends. When writing this piece I sought to give each part of the steel band a part that was fun to play, while still creating the cohesive sound that steel bands are known for. The result is a fun drive down the coast with a few unexpected twists and turns along the way.