Composer. Performer. Educator.
Updated score for my flute choir piece North Star is now available! This version is for performances that do not include narrator (the original one was commissioned to include a narrator to introduce the various instruments of the flute choir and is titled North Star: A Listener’s Guide to the Flute Choir). Both versions are listed here: Flute Choir.
The UNLV Flutes under the direction of Jennifer Grim recorded North Star on Friday, October 12th and I’m excited to share the recording soon!
Cerulealina will be recorded Fall 2018 with the support of a Nevada Arts Council Individual Jackpot Grant!
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.
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 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!
