Orchestra
Duration 25’

Commissioned by the Pacific Northwest Ballet for their 50th anniversary and choreographed by Kiyon Ross.
…throes of increasing wonder is an upbeat, celebratory piece for full orchestra complete in five movements. The music is filled with dancing loops, rhythmic punctuations, and hints of Rossini crescendos.

Performance Note: The movements are to be played continuously, without pausing between them.

Recording excerpts are below.

Score and full set of parts

Orchestra
Duration 5’40”

Prelude is a short, wistful piece for orchestra that I composed with the intention of releasing as a non-fungible token (NFT). It was written for conductor Gregory Wolynec and the Gateway Chamber Orchestra and premiered at their Haydn Fest 2021. Prelude shares the same instrumentation as Haydn's Symphony No. 96 in D major, (Miracle).

I love using loops in my music and the first thing I wrote was the opening loop for cello and bass that serves as the harmonic foundation of the piece. The winds and violins trade melodic statements and rhythmic gestures while the brass holds everything together with sustained chords. In all of my compositions I place emphasis on melody and movement. The music of Prelude is stripped down to these two essential components and I hope that people connect with the serenity of the work.

Prelude was was recorded on May 2nd, 2021 at the George and Sharon Mabry Concert Hall in Clarksville, Tennessee. Its release marked the first newly composed piece for full orchestra as an NFT.

Program Suggestion: Prelude pairs well with Haydn's Symphony No. 96 in D major (Miracle)

Audio Recording Below

Duration: 5’45’’

Instrumentation: 3,3,3,3 / 4,3,3,1 / timp + 2 perc + pno + strings

Strut! is a short, fast-paced work inspired by the sounds and patterns of walking. The title of the work came to me before the music. I read an article about composers who were in the habit of going on walks while thinking about their music. Beethoven, Mahler, Britten, Tchaikovsky, and Satie among others took daily strolls as part of their compositional process. Some of my favorite musical ideas have come to me when I’m out traipsing through town, always in a hurry and always in loud heels. The rhythm of my gait has worked its way into my music on a few occasions, and I thought it would be fun to incorporate that sound and the cadence of many people walking into a brisk piece for orchestra.

Audio Recording Below.

String Orchestra
Duration - 4’44”

As much as I love living in Nashville, I haven't gotten used to the tornado threats and flood warnings that plague our spring and early summer. I composed this piece during a week with multiple tornado warnings and a flood. I didn't intend on writing a fast, swirling work, but I must have been influenced by our crazy weather. During the time I composed Whirl I was listening to Vivaldi's Concerto for Four Violins and The Four Seasons. Whirl turned into my own interpretation of Spring.

Program Suggestion: Whirl pairs well with Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons.

PDF of Score and Parts

Live video recording below

String Orchestra

Duration: 12'

Synched was conceived in a slightly different way than my other music. It began as an aleatoric piece for string octet and electronics. The first performance of Synched was in collaboration with Gallim Dance and part of Juilliard’s celebrated Beyond the Machine festival. Because of the controlled improvisation during the concerts, Synched was never performed the same way twice.

I decided to take elements from the octet and notate it in a fixed version for string orchestra. Synched is structured on loops—four or eight bar phrases that repeat. Each loop is a building block that is never altered but instead is used in different combinations. Each instrument has its own unique set of loops that occasionally overlap. By limiting the musical material I am able to play with rhythm, syncopation, register, and stereophonic effects throughout the piece.

Audio Recording Below.

Chamber Orchestra

Duration: 9'30’’

Instrumentation: flt, ob, clr, 2tpt, tbn, perc, pno, vn1, vn2, vc, cb

Formas is a work inspired by Mariachi music, commissioned by Intersection for their second season’s Mariachi concert. It is scored for twelve musicians and divided into two movements, Bolero and Son Jalisciense. I composed Formas backwards, starting with the second movement. I usually remember the moment when the first idea for a new piece of music is solidified. With Formas I finally stumbled upon the second movement chords after a long night of trying many harmonic combinations. The chord pattern is in the rhythm of a son jalisciense, characterized by a changing 6/8 and 3/4 pulse. It's this rhythmic alteration that drives the second movement forward. I've taken some artistic liberty with the rhythm of the son jalisciense by shortening it in places and adding beats to it in others. The first movement is a straight bolero. It focuses on melody and color to contrast the rhythmic drive of the son jalisciense. It is meant to evoke the languid melodies of the mariachi boleros. I wanted to capture an element of dance in both movements and retain the effervescent spirit of mariachi in the entire piece.

As much as I love living in Nashville, I haven't gotten used to the tornado threats and flood warnings that plague our spring and early summer. I composed Whirl during a week that we had multiple tornado warnings and a flood. I didn't intend on writing a fast, swirling work, but I must have been influenced by our crazy weather. At the time I was listening to Vivaldi's Concerto for Four Violins and The Four Seasons. Whirl turned into my own interpretation of Spring.

I composed this piece for the crypto art platform Async Art. It is intended to be a programmable work. You can experiment with playing Whirl as any solo, duet, or trio as well as this quartet structure.

c.a. 4'44"

Recording Below

String Quartet

Duration - 10’

Strung Along was commissioned by the New York Choreographic Institute. I was one of three composers chosen to collaborate with a choreographer on a new work for the New York City Ballet affiliated program. This quartet is in three movements, each one developing a particular rhythm. The first movement opens with a funky cello solo. I drew inspiration from traditional American fiddle music which is most evident in this section. The second movement plays around with call-and-response between all four players. Each one takes a turn at having the melody while the accompaniment alternates between quick gestures and pizzicato. Movement three is my favorite. It opens will all four players in a unified rhythm that alternates between 6/8 and 3/4 time signatures. I composed Strung Along with an awareness to dance and the time that is needed for movement to unfold. Writing for dance has always been one of my favorite mediums, and I hope that joy of creation is apparent in this piece.

Audio Recording Below.

String Quartet

Duration - 14' 24''

I composed Some Breaking for Kathleen Dyer Dance NY. There are three distinct sections that make up this string quartet. In the dance, a quartet finds itself lost in a forest of heartbreak where the magic of connection inspires the realization that some breaking is building. I wanted to represent that sense of desolation by a soaring, minor melody in the first violin. It is accompanied by mournful counter melodies in both the second violin and viola. The cello alternates between pizzicato notes and a legato descending line that echoes the music of the first violin. Section two of Some Breaking is almost all pizzicato. I wanted to create a pointillistic effect, so the melody is divided up between the players. The third section is contrastingly bright and rhythmically intricate. There are extended passages where the viola imitates the melodic lines of the cello before they eventually play the same music. The minor theme from section one is brought back at this new faster tempo representing the transformation that happens at the end of the dance.

Audio Recording Below.

Spiral is a trio for violin, cello, and piano commissioned by the Minnesota Public Radio. Spiral combines long strides, gentle tumbles, searching motives, and loops in three contrasting movements.

Violoncello and Marimba

Meet Me Under The Clock is a duo for marimba and cello that was inspired by the intricate choreography of navigating New York’s Grand Central Terminal during rush hour. The famous clock in the middle of Grand Central has been a popular meeting place for people commuting into New York for decades. I have many memories of standing by it, waiting for my sister’s train from Connecticut to arrive on her weekly visits. Although surrounded by waves of people, I was able to stand absolutely still and observe that motion from a fixed point. I wanted to juxtapose that sense of fixed observation and swirling movement in Meet Me Under The Clock. Throughout the piece, I alternate between using 3/4 and 6/8 time signatures. The marimba maintains a steady, driving beat that sounds somewhat chaotic under the cello's lyrical lines. The cello does have instances where it participates in the aggressive rhythm, but it mostly represents the static observer. There are spots in the music where the movement comes to a sudden halt, as if taking a breath before charging on to the end.

Duration: 7’ 37”

Audio Recording Below.

String Quartet and Electric Bass

Duration - 5’30’’

Commissioned by Alias Ensemble, Emergence is a work for string quartet and electric bass complete in one movement. This piece also works as a traditional string quintet and double bass may be substituted for electric bass. But I think the electric bass is more fun!

Il Nodo ​is the violin and piano duet from ​Ex Voto​ - a collection of nine pieces for piano, cello, and violin. I wanted to create music that is more personal and exposed than anything else that I have written. The inspiration for this work came from a visit to the Cloisters in New York and from my Catholic, Italian-American upbringing. The term ex voto comes from the Latin ​ex voto suscepto​, "from the vow made" and is an offering to a saint or divinity given in fulfillment of a vow in gratitude or devotion. The music of ​Ex Voto ​is a return to everything that I love about composing: lilting melodies, driving rhythms, and lush harmonies. ​Il Nodo ​is my favorite piece from this collection!

Duration: 5’30’’

Scroll down for video!

Peregrine is the cello and piano duet from Ex Voto - a collection of nine pieces for piano, cello, and violin. I wanted to create music that is more personal and exposed than anything else that I have written. The inspiration for this work came from a visit to the Cloisters in New York and from my Catholic, Italian-American upbringing. The term ex voto comes from the Latin ex voto suscepto, "from the vow made" and is an offering to a saint or divinity given in fulfillment of a vow in gratitude or devotion. The music of Ex Voto is a return to everything that I love about composing: lilting melodies, driving rhythms, and lush harmonies. Peregrine juxtaposes sparse piano lines with longing cello tones throughout the piece.

Duration: 6’20’’

Violin, Viola, Violoncello, and Piano

Duration - 5 minutes

Mahler Remixed is written for violin, viola, cello, and piano. The first thing that struck me about Mahler's Piano Quartet was the ambiguous opening rhythm. Listening to it for the first time without the score, I thought that the piece began in 6/8. The opening triplets sounded to me like a compound meter against which the left hand plays syncopated octaves. The polyrhythm created in the first few measures inspired me to use that kernel as a basis for a new piece. For the past few years I have been fascinated with rhythm and the different ways in which rhythm is perceived. Mahler's Piano Quartet was the perfect piece for me to explore the different relationships and interplay of those ideas. Mahler Remixed is formed by looping actual fragments from Mahler's quartet. Each time a loop appears, it is transformed through a changing rhythmic texture. Just like the original, Mahler Remixed opens with the solo piano. It continues in a sort of polyrhythmic conversation between the strings and piano.

Audio Recording Below

Violin, Cello, & Piano

Duration: 1’37”

Commissioned by Trio Céleste, If Beethoven Danced Merengue is an energetic, rhythmic variation on the second movement of Beethoven's Piano Trio in G Major. I retained the contours of the opening melody, changed it to minor, and transformed it into fast sixteenth note runs. The piano maintains a steady merengue influenced rhythm throughout most of the piece.

Audio Recording Below.

Clarinet in Bb & Violoncello

Duration - 6 minutes

Pas De Deux is a melodic duet for clarinet and cello, complete in one movement. It was commissioned and premiered by Access Contemporary Music, Milwaukee. The piece was inspired by the architecture of the Colby- Abbott Building, an opulent structure built in 1885. During the premiere of this piece, people were able to explore the building while the musicians played in the lobby. The original title was Doors Open, but I changed it to Pas De Deux after hearing it performed. I think that it better captures the character of the piece.

Take a listen below.

For 2 violins and 2 cellos

Duration - 5 minutes

Athena in Stereo was commissioned by the Conservancy for the Parthenon and Centennial Park. It was part of the first concert of their new chamber music series ECHO. The Parthenon is a full-scale replica of the original Parthenon in Athens and was built in 1897 as part of the Tennessee Centennial Exposition. Its marble interior and forty-three foot high ceilings create a reverberant acoustic setting. It takes about six seconds for a sound to fully decay. I wanted to take advantage of that sustain when writing Athena in Stereo. The two violins and two cellos trade arpeggiated gestures that create overlapping echoes. This piece works best if Violin 1 and Cello 1 sit next to each other, opposite Violin 2 and Cello 2. That way the stereophonic writing is evident.

Audio Recording Below.

Violoncello and Marimba

Meet Me Under The Clock is a duo for marimba and cello that was inspired by the intricate choreography of navigating New York’s Grand Central Terminal during rush hour. The famous clock in the middle of Grand Central has been a popular meeting place for people commuting into New York for decades. I have many memories of standing by it, waiting for my sister’s train from Connecticut to arrive on her weekly visits. Although surrounded by waves of people, I was able to stand absolutely still and observe that motion from a fixed point. I wanted to juxtapose that sense of fixed observation and swirling movement in Meet Me Under The Clock. Throughout the piece, I alternate between using 3/4 and 6/8 time signatures. The marimba maintains a steady, driving beat that sounds somewhat chaotic under the cello's lyrical lines. The cello does have instances where it participates in the aggressive rhythm, but it mostly represents the static observer. There are spots in the music where the movement comes to a sudden halt, as if taking a breath before charging on to the end.

Duration: 7’ 37”

Audio Recording Below.

Il Nodo ​is the violin and piano duet from ​Ex Voto​ - a collection of nine pieces for piano, cello, and violin. I wanted to create music that is more personal and exposed than anything else that I have written. The inspiration for this work came from a visit to the Cloisters in New York and from my Catholic, Italian-American upbringing. The term ex voto comes from the Latin ​ex voto suscepto​, "from the vow made" and is an offering to a saint or divinity given in fulfillment of a vow in gratitude or devotion. The music of ​Ex Voto ​is a return to everything that I love about composing: lilting melodies, driving rhythms, and lush harmonies. ​Il Nodo ​is my favorite piece from this collection!

Duration: 5’30’’

Scroll down for video!

Duration: 4'30''

A duet for violin and piano, written for my dear friends Elisabeth and Carl in celebration of their marriage. This is the original version of the piece, there is also an arrangement for cello and piano.

Peregrine is the cello and piano duet from Ex Voto - a collection of nine pieces for piano, cello, and violin. I wanted to create music that is more personal and exposed than anything else that I have written. The inspiration for this work came from a visit to the Cloisters in New York and from my Catholic, Italian-American upbringing. The term ex voto comes from the Latin ex voto suscepto, "from the vow made" and is an offering to a saint or divinity given in fulfillment of a vow in gratitude or devotion. The music of Ex Voto is a return to everything that I love about composing: lilting melodies, driving rhythms, and lush harmonies. Peregrine juxtaposes sparse piano lines with longing cello tones throughout the piece.

Duration: 6’20’’

Clarinet in Bb & Violoncello

Duration - 6 minutes

Pas De Deux is a melodic duet for clarinet and cello, complete in one movement. It was commissioned and premiered by Access Contemporary Music, Milwaukee. The piece was inspired by the architecture of the Colby- Abbott Building, an opulent structure built in 1885. During the premiere of this piece, people were able to explore the building while the musicians played in the lobby. The original title was Doors Open, but I changed it to Pas De Deux after hearing it performed. I think that it better captures the character of the piece.

Take a listen below.

For Violoncello and Piano

Sonatagram is a micro-sonata with three movements each under a minute long. I wrote this duet specifically for Instagram because I wanted to challenge myself with an abbreviated format. There could be no wasted notes with each movement having a one-minute time constraint. The original version of Sonatagram is for cello and piano, but I have many other arrangements with piano. I wrote this piece to be shared, so please let me know if your post this on social media!

Convection Loops is composed for violin with a loop pedal and was commissioned by Rachel Lee Priday for her album Fluid Dynamics. Inspired by oceanographer Georgy Manucharyan’s study of ocean currents, Convection Loops deploys a loop pedal to gradually stack layer upon layer of solo violin lines. The swirling music imitates Manucharyan’s experiment as color inks drop, blend, and are pulled through water.

I composed Drift specifically for felted piano. I love the percussive quality and subtle resonance that's produced by placing felt between the hammers and strings of a piano. I wanted to highlight that ethereal sound in Drift.

The song is composed of changing patterns that create a rhythmic flow. The meditative ostinato moves into a more percussive section before receding into its daydream. I wanted the two contrasting ideas to blend together, with one drifting into the other. My music features repeating melodic ideas that gradually layer and develop creating a hypnotic energy and a contemplative ambiance. Drift was written for the platform Sound.xyz

Flowt explores momentum with cascading notes and gently shifting patterns. I composed Flowt for the platform MInt Songs and recorded it on a felted piano to give it a soft and muted percussive sound. The music is in constant motion creating hypnotic swirls and suspended harmonies.

Recording Below

Ex Voto is a collection of nine pieces for piano, cello, and violin. I wanted to create music that is more personal and exposed than anything else that I have written. The inspiration for this album came from a visit to the Cloisters in New York and from my Catholic, Italian-American upbringing. The term ex voto comes from the Latin ex voto suscepto, "from the vow made" and is an offering to a saint or divinity given in fulfillment of a vow in gratitude or devotion. The music of Ex Voto is a return to everything that I love about composing: lilting melodies, driving rhythms, and lush harmonies. 

• Chant

• Relics

• Flight

• Il Nodo - violin and piano

• Mechanical Angels

• Reflection

• Pocket Saints

• Peregrine - cello and piano

• Ex Voto

I composed this piano solo as part of the ballet There I Was. The Nashville Ballet commissioned me and choreographer Matthew Neenan to create a work for their program Attitude: Other Voices which premiered in February of 2020. There I Was is the choreographer’s story of his journey into self-acceptance. The entire ballet is scored for piano, cello, and marimba, and this piece is the finale of the dance. I hope to convey a feeling of peace and optimism with this work. There I Was is meant to be played very expressively, alternating between firm and delicate lines.

In the performance of There I Was five works of mixed-media artist Vadis Turner were suspended above the stage, creating a beautifully dramatic set design. Vadis graciously has allowed me to use her stunning work as the cover for this sheet music, bringing our collaboration full circle.

Cover Art: Vadis Turner - Ritual Heirloom 2, Champion Roses and Burnt Logs

This piece is dedicated to my dear friends at Nashville's classical radio station 91Classical. Every weekday at 5PM 91Classical airs a waltz to ease people from their workday into their commute and time at home. I've always loved tuning in to 5 O'Clock Waltz to hear the beautiful orchestral and solo versions of the dance form. I thought it would be fun to compose my own waltz as a tribute to 91Classical. I even borrowed the title of this piece from the name of their show. We are so lucky in Nashville to have a classical radio station that supports local artists and provides opportunities to young musicians. This little waltz for solo piano is my way of thanking 91Classical for the inspiration.

Violist Hiyoli Togawa asked eleven composers to write pieces that ‘reflect life and work in the time of the coronavirus and that distill isolation in music.' My miniature for viola, Keep Moving, was inspired by Hiyoli's beautiful art with the same title. This piece was written for Hiyoli’s album Songs of Solitude, released by BIS.

c.a. 2’45”

Recording below

Wall Flowers is a miniature suite for solo viola commissioned by Intersection as part of their LISTEN initiative and inspired by the Nashville based design duo New Hat.

1. Minerva in Candy Stripe

2. Wired

3. Suspended in Blue

4. Black & White

5. Wall Flowers

Scroll down for performance and interview videos.

Between Shadow and Light is part of a larger work, There I Was, a dance commissioned by the Nashville Ballet. This cello solo is a contemplative piece that is meant to be played very freely.

Duration: 2’30’’

This piece was commissioned by my friend and brilliant cellist Yves Dharamraj. Yves wanted a showy piece to be able to perform when people ask him to “play something!” at parties or gatherings. Missed Deadline is a fast-paced work filled with ostinati, chopping, and fun grooves. I’ll leave it to you to guess how the title came about…

c.a. 4’30”

Niran was commissioned by percussionist Colleen Phelps for her debut album Animal Ambassadors. Colleen commissioned six different composers to write six new marimba pieces inspired by baby animals born in zoos. Niran is the clouded leopard born in the Nashville Zoo in 2017, so naturally I chose her as my animal ambassador. This piece is filled with frolicking rhythms and jaunty syncopations.

Duration: 4'30''