New Beginnings

Nimbus (2021) for clarinet and media is dedicated to the Dean family and their dog Nimbus, a golden retriever just shy of four years old. The piece blends the spirit of Nimbus (a big, loving dog that thinks he’s a very excited puppy) and the inspiration for the name Nimbus (meaning “halo,” or “common grace”). In this way, Nimbus represents both Nimbus the dog and the companionship dogs offer us humans, a sacred gift for us all to enjoy.

In the piece, the spirit of Nimbus appears in the rapid, fluttering gestures in the media accompaniment. The media track, which features pre-recorded clips of clarinetist Dr. Michael Dean playing his instrument, serves as a mirror for his clarinet solo in real-time. In this way, the accompaniment literally follows the clarinet, reflecting the solo like a companion.

Yet, the accompaniment part and solo part are not exact mirror images of each other. In fact, the accompaniment and clarinet parts rhyme rather than play in perfect sync. The fragmented melodies in the media swell and burst, continually breathing life and excitement into the piece, feeding its rhythmic pulse. The clarinet solo compliments this driving rhythm often with soaring lyrical melodies, foreshadowing the heartfelt ending of the piece. Eventually, the lyrical solo part tames the frenetic accompaniment, and the two parts merge into perfect unison for a climactic concluding melody—and a final stinger that sounds something like a “woof!”

Storks Piano Trio is a nostalgic work based on a series of paintings by my grandmother (affectionately known as "Mimi"). I have always enjoyed combining different types of art to create an overarching experience for the listener. Storks was created in reaction to the paintings below, and both the auditory and visual art can be presented together to create a new listening experience. Storks is based upon a theme and variation and travels through the warm, misty atmosphere of the paintings, touches upon themes such as flying and leaving the nest, and personifies the nest when it is no longer used.

Alienation for solo bassoon is a very personal piece. It depicts how a person is dealing with the feelings of isolation, strandedness, and emotional abandonment. The two prominent sound spheres in this piece are the 'howling' lamenting intonations in the upper register of the bassoon that act as a sort of a plaintive cry of utter despair, reaching out for help. The other sound sphere are the pestilent growls, vile flutter-tongued notes and runs in the low register – it’s an aggressive and bitter 'response' to the silence of the world.

Metamorphosis represents a variation process that is seamlessly transforming from one form to another. I wrote this piece inspired by the nightlife in Athens, Greece, where one can hear a melting pot of music genres. The timbral world of this work is based on an exploration of echo and percussion effects. It was initially written for solo piano and later arranged for jazz trio, where I substituted upright bass with an analog Moog synthesizer. I released it along with other tracks in October 2022 on my EP Metamorphosis.

TIES

Short film Live in Concert

for ensemble and fixed media

Directed by Esteban Bailey

Produced by Left of Frame Pictures

Haunted explores the supernatural through the idiosyncrasies of the bassoon and string quartet instruments. Listen for icy harmonics (on all the instruments!), a wispy main motif, and ghostly multiphonics. At times, Haunted feels like there are more instruments present than the five listed—perhaps ghosts are playing a part.

The piece features Matthew Rasmussen (alive and well) on the solo bassoon.

Reckoning/Beckoning was a piece commissioned by the UCLA Gluck Horn Quartet. I was given the prompt to compose a piece divided into two distinct sections, but I wanted to challenge that notion and write something that felt largely unified while still having a clear division in sound and tone. There are two distinct musical sides to this piece, “reckoning” and “beckoning,” but they are not mutually exclusive, with echoes of the other showing up in their respective sections, and pulling the other towards itself.

Elegy is a short movement for string orchestra, inspired by the feeling of mourning a loved one. The main melody had been in my head for many months before I began composing this work, and became the seed that grew into the full movement. This performance is dedicated to a dear relative and bright light, my great aunt Lolly Perry, who recently passed away.