Cerulealina(2018)

for violin, cello, harp, 3 percussion and double bass
Duration: 8 minutes

Cerulealina is an imaginary world glowing with various shades of blue light. I chose this instrumentation because I felt it best captured the essence of this dreamy place, inspired by my favorite color, cerulean blue. Throughout the composition, the instruments intertwine and communicate with each other, creating a beautiful, sparkly and evocative landscape filled with energy. Each player has their own feature/solo throughout, which is influenced by my interests in writing pieces that feature jazz instrumentalists.

Cerulealina was written for Bellor’s second album and will be premiered September 24, 2018 on the UNLV Nextet concert.

I’m super excited to be the resident Clock Shop composer for the percussion quartet, Clocks in Motion! I’m working on my first of four percussion quartets for them, and cannot wait to hear how it sounds at their rehearsal in September. Here’s a link to their website for more information: Clock Shop

I’m excited to learn that my composition Crystalline (2018) was selected for performance at the 2018 Music Now Festival held at the Landini Center for Performing and Fine Arts on the campus of Indiana State University! The piece was commissioned back in 2017 by pianists Olga Shupyatskaya and Futaba Niekawa and premiered at the Eastman School of Music, July 2, 2017, in Kilbourn Hall. Here is a link to the original performance recording:

They both will be joining me at the Music Now Festival for the performance, and am very much looking forward to working with them again along with percussionists Jimmy Finnie and Blake from ISU. I ended up revising the second percussionist for performances this past year at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Here is an audio recording of the updated version featuring pianists Timothy Hoft and Katie Leung:

And, yet, decided to once again play around with the percussion 2 part for this upcoming performance at the Music Now Festival. I’m really excited to hear the updated version and to work with everyone!

Crystalline will be performed:
Friday, October 26, 2018 at 3pm in Boyce Recital Hall
Landini Center for Performing and Fine Arts on the campus of Indiana State University

There will also be a session at 1:30 p.m. on October 26th where each Music Now composer can present music for 15 minutes.

The American Prize blogspot announced the winners of the Ernst Bacon Award in the solo artist division, performed by university ensembles. I’m excited to learn that Bordello Nights performed by the UNLV Wind Orchestra received 2nd place! Here’s the article: http://theamericanprize.blogspot.com/2018/08/ernst-bacon-award-american-music.html

The 2018 Mid-Missouri Composers Symposium was a wonderful experience! From July 12-22, Four composers and I were in residence at the Osage Arts Community in Belle, Missouri. Each day, we all spent the day composing and then met up early evening to share our music and ideas. I finished my new composition Cerulealina for violin, cello, 3 percussion, harp and double bass, and was so happy to have the time to do that. Many thanks to composer Nolan Stolz for the invitation to be at this artist residency!

Last night, May 31st, the Oregon State University under the direction of Chris Chapman performed Uprising for wind ensemble featuring jazz drum set, featuring Ryan Biesack. It was a fantastic performance and the recording will be available soon!

Here is a link to the article: http://www.gazettetimes.com/entertainment/music/osu-wind-ensemble-to-premiere-new-works-at-concert/article_7aae1e2f-6873-5046-a46a-557d24c39a36.html

The Nevada Chamber Orchestra performed Echo’s Lament and Out of the Shadows Sunday, May 6 at the Historic Fifth Street School Auditorium in Las Vegas. The concert was called “Celebrating Women,” which honored various women of the Nevada School of the Arts including dean Shakeh Ghoukasian and UNLV College of Fine Arts dean Nancy Uscher.

Guest Conductor Alexandra Arrieche led the ensemble, delivering a beautiful performance of Out of the Shadows, which featured the NSA strings with jazz trumpet, vibraphone (performed by guest faculty Rachel Julian), piano, electric bass and drums. This was the string orchestra premiere of the piece, that was originally written back in 2012 for string quartet and commissioned by Mike Kaupa (jazz trumpet) with vibes, piano, bass and drums for premiere at the Eastman School of Music.

Conductor Chuck Cushinery led the NSA strings in a beautiful performance of Echo’s Lament, a piece written back in 2009 for the Millersville University Orchestra under the direction of Reuben Blundell, inspired by the Greek mythological story of Echo along with being in memoriam of Jennifer Mathiason, an artist and friend, whose works inspired the piece.