COMPOSITIONS - CLASSICAL
CLASSICAL | JAZZ | ELECTRONIC | CONTEMPORARY
These pieces do not fit in the jazz or popular categories. They were composed in the tradition of "serious" music.
ORCHESTRAL - Classical
Portraits of the Gulfcoast Symphonic Orchestra Dhyan Symphonic Orchestra Case Study Solo Soprano, Chamber Orchestra, Percussion Ensemble, Electronics Concerto for Two Trumpets Symphonic Orchestra & Two Trumpets Poem for Tenor Saxophone Symphonic Orchestra & Tenor Saxophone Concerto for Bassoon & Orchestra Symphonic Orchestra & Bassoon Journey to India Symphonic Orchestra Jazz Sketches for Orchestra Symphonic Orchestra Cello Concerto #1 Symphonic Orchestra & Violoncello Centennial Fanfare Symphonic Band Julie's Theme Symphonic Orchestra Ohlone Fanfare Symphonic Band ENSEMBLE - Classical
Alhambra 2 Flutes & Cello Quintet 1975 Flute, Violin, Viola, Cello, Harp Pervigilium de Strepito et Tumulto Flute, Violin, Viola, Cello, Piano, Harpsichord Pascha Two Flutes & Cello Quartet 1981 Strings Wind Trio Flute, Oboe, Bassoon Birthday Fugue Flute, Oboe, Bassoon Quartet 1976 Strings
Cello Quartet 4 Cellos Thursday in San Francisco Flute, Bb Clarinet, & Cello (or Bassoon) SOLO - Classical
Reflections Cello Gwynn Kelson Flute Meditations Flute Piano Sonata Piano Cello Sonata Cello Jolie's Themes Piano Angore Violin Dockweiler B. Violin For Elaine Piano DUO - Classical
After The Rain Flute & Cello Cello Duo Two Cellos Chimera Cello & Piano A Little Sadness, A Little Bitterness... Resolved Cello & Computer/Synthesizers VOICE - Classical
Cycles Soprano & Piano Evening Of Life Soprano & Piano Dhylan Thomas Trilogy Soprano, Flute, and Piano Nocturne 1 Women's Chorus & Chamber Orchestra Can You Touch the Sky Mixed Chorus Before You Sleep Voice & Chamber Orchestra Hold It As You Would The Sand Voice & Chamber Orchestra Wedding Offertory Voice & Chamber Orchestra Someday Soprano Voice & Piano Simplicity Calls Soprano Voice and Cello Diane (Beauty's Name) Voice & Piano Music for Cassie Alto Voice, Flute, Violin, Viola, & Piano
Orchestral - Classical
CLASSICAL | JAZZ | ELECTRONIC | CONTEMPORARY
Portraits of the Gulfcoast
[Back To Top Of This List ] [Back To Top Of Page]This three movement symphonic poem was written between the time that I was a senior in high school and the summer prior to my freshman year in college at the age of 17. It takes as inspiration the last hour I spent in the Biloxi, Mississippi Gulfcoast area. The First movement is entitled "...And The Sea", the second is "The Blue Hour", and the third is "A New Life"
The "Portraits" was the first large orchestral piece I have composed. Although played on numerous occasions over the years, the first performance was on the evening of January 16, 1976 by the Gulfcoast Symphony Orchestra in Biloxi, Mississippi. James Shannon conducted the orchestra as part of their Bicentennial tribute to American composers.
...And The Sea Prices The Blue Hour Prices A New Life Prices Dhyan
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This work is entitled DHYAN (the Eastern Indian word for meditation) because it describes a particular form of meditation known as Sant Mat. It is a method of attaining spiritual release by the constant repetition of the name of God and concentration on the inner sound current of creation (Shabd) The technique is also known as 'sound and light' meditation. The piece unfolds as a meditation for the listener, as attention is drawn from the world of the senses (Indriyas) towards the highest spiritual region (Sach Khand), where the Soul merges with the sound current, its true home, and becomes one with God. The only performance to date of DHYAN was on December 15, 1984 by the San Jose City College Orchestra, conducted by Emily Ray.
Dhyan Prices
Case Study (A Young Woman's suicide)
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The Cantata, "Case Study", is taken from a newspaper article that appeared in the Los Angeles Times on December 19, 1976, entitled CASE STUDY: A YOUNG WOMAN's SUICIDE by Times reporter Kathleen Hendrix. This article was written in the form of an interview with the young woman's parents, Mr. and Mrs. Gould Allison, along with excerpts from their daughter's journal, which is scattered intermittently throughout. With the exception of a few words or phrases which were deleted from the journal (to make the material more musically manageable) I quoted all of the libretto exactly from the article.
Case Study Prices
Concerto for Two Trumpets and Orchestra
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This three movement work was commissioned by Emily Ray, conductor of the San Jose City College Orchestra. Once during a conversation, she expressed to me her difficulty in finding a piece that would highlight the talents of the two trumpet players in the orchestra. I offered to compose one for them.
Movement 1 Prices Movement 2 Prices Movement 3 Prices
Poem for Tenor Saxophone and Orchestra
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Imagine the scene ... an orchestra is playing a "modern" sounding piece in the distance. A short while later the soulful improvised melodies of a saxophone can be heard through the open window of a tenement building. Being midway between the two points of music, you hear what is rarely heard ... the electrifying combination of saxophone and orchestra. The central theme of the "Poem for Tenor Saxophone and Orchestra" is that of the tremendous influence that improvisation has had on the flavor of 20th century music.
Poem for Tenor Saxophone & Orchestra Prices
Concerto for Bassoon and Orchestra
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This piece has its genesis in the time several years ago when I had the pleasure of playing cello in an orchestra where Rufus Olivier appeared as a soloist. I was impressed with his virtuosity... his musicianship, tone, and most of all, his jazz-like style. Over the years Rufus and I have had the chance to talk and I have threatened to compose a piece for him each time we met. The first movement of this piece, "Looking a Long Time", is representative of the many changes I experienced which affected nearly every part of my life after my first divorce. The second poem, "...For Carol", was composed for, and about my new wife, Carol.
Looking A Long Time Prices ...For Carol Prices
Journey to India
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In 2002, my wife and I visited Amsterdam. Late one night we ate dinner at an Indian Restaurant where the proprietor was playing music from the soundtrack of a movie. The music was so exquisite that I nearly fell out of my seat. When I asked what music was being played, the proprietor proudly showed me the CD of music by A. R. Rahman. He is the first composer I am aware of to successfully fuse contemporary Indian music with the Western classical style. The result is music that is sophisticated and inspirational. Since then I have listened to many contemporary Indian composers, but my favorite remains Rahman, who stands high above his contemporaries in my estimation.
This piece, "Journey To India", is a tribute to the cause of merging two great musical traditions. The piece is not intended to depict a literal journey, but more an intellectual and spiritual one. The rhythmic and harmonic sophistication of Indian music fits nicely with my own ideas of where orchestral music must head in the twenty-first century in order to maintain its vibrancy and relevance in the world. This journey is my first attempt at venturing into new musical territory pioneered by contemporary Eastern musicians and composers, whom I believe are some of the finest musicians on the planet. It's a shame more Western musicians are not listening to them - we have a lot to learn from these musical brothers and sisters.
Journey to India Prices
Jazz Sketches for Orchestra
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The Jazz Sketches for Symphonic Orchestra were first composed as individual pieces in the early 1990s as MIDI studies. In 1997 Lawrence Kohl, conductor of the Classical Philharmonic Orchestra in the San Francisco bay area asked me if I had any light orchestral music his group could play for a concert. I put the four pieces: "Saturday Is Here", "You Strike a Chord", "Dance 1", and "Tenagne" together at that time and labeled them "Jazz Sketches for Symphonic Orchestra".
"Saturday Is Here", You Strike a Chord", and "Tenagne" are all poems on the phrases or word of the title. For example, the phrase "Saturday is Here" is rhythmically played on for the entire movement. You hear it stated by all the instruments in the orchestra in some form or another. The sarne is true for "You Strike a Chord (within me)" and "Tenagne". "You Strike a Chord" and "Tenagne" were inspired by my Ethiopian girlfriend at the time, Tenagne Mekbeb, MD. "Dance 1" is a purely abstract piece that has nothing to do with words.
Saturday in Here Prices You Strike A Chord Prices Dance 1 Prices Tenagne Prices
Cello Concerto #1
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This violoncello concerto was commissioned by John Parkinson, conductor of the Lake County Symphony Orchestra in November of 2003. My intention was to compose a piece that is both easily playable by most community orchestras and enjoyable by audiences unused to more atonal or "modern" fare. So, the heavy lifting is done by the cello soloist. That notwithstanding, this concerto is intended to be playable by not only virtuosos, but also by any fairly decent cellist.
The Cello Concerto is in three movements: "Clearlake", "The Fair" and "Konocti". It features a cadenza in the first movement that is a musical tip of the hat to the Bach suites for unaccompanied cello. With the exception of a few thinned-out sections, the second movement does not have a cadenza for the soloist. The third movement begins with an extended solo for cello. It also features a 2.5 - 3 minute cadenza for the soloist that must be improvised, hence, it is not notated. It is my fervent hope that the tradition of improvisation can be restored to "classical" music before it dies out as an art form. This concerto represents an opportunity for cellists to contribute to the tradition of improvisation using the cello's vibrant and beautiful voice.
Movement 1 - "Clearlake" Prices Movement 2 - "The Fair" Prices Movement 3 - "Konocti" Prices
Centennial Fanfare
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This brass fanfare was commissioned in 1992 by the Cultural Commission of Hayward, California to commemorate the 100 year anniversary of the city.
Centennial Fanfare Prices
Julie's Theme
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Written for a high school friend of mine who suffered devastating property, financial, and emotional losses in the wake of Hurricane Katrina in 2005.
Julie's Theme Prices
Ohlone Fanfare
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This brass fanfare was commissioned in 1982 by the Ohlone College in Fremont, California to commemorate something (I can't remember what it was now!).
Ohlone Fanfare Prices
ENSEMBLE - Classical
CLASSICAL | JAZZ | ELECTRONIC | CONTEMPORARY
Alhambra
Alhambra is a trio for two flutes and 'cello and was performed by me playing 'cello, and Francesca Cox and Sarah Lloyd playing flute on December 17, 1998 at the Smith Performance Center at Ohlone College in Fremont, CA. You'll hear that Alhambra is a tonal, Spanish-sounding piece. Performance directions call for the 'cello to be played across the lap during most of the piece... like a guitar.[Back To Top Of This List ] [Back To Top Of Page]
Alhambra Prices
Quintet 1975
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This three movement piece was composed in my Freshman year at UCSB for Flute, Violin, Viola, Cello, and Harp. The inspiration for the piece was a poem by T.S. Eliot called "The Lovesong Of J. Alfred Prufrock". The three movements are titled after lines of the poem:"Talking of Michelangelo", "...Do I Dare?", and "'Til Human Voices Wake Us".
Talking of Michelangelo Prices ...Do I Dare? Prices 'Til Human Voices Wake Us Prices
Pervigilium
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Pervigilium (de Strepito et Tumulto) is a descriptive quintet about restless nights and inner turmoil. At the time it was being composed, I lived in an apartment building where the tenants below me were destroying their apartment (literally breaking glasses, windows, cabinets, etc.) every evening for months, the person to the right enjoyed playing "Muzak" very loudly at 3:00 a.m., and where my neighbor to the left had several visitors who frequently insisted on coming at all hours of the night to play percussion on his door.
Pervigilium Prices
Pascha
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Only a few years out of college, and already certain I did not want to work full-time in corporate America, I was worried. I thought I was wasting away, spending too much time being a Technical Writer. The money was very good for a 23-year-old living in Los Angeles, but I had not figured out how to balance my creative life with the life needing to put food on the table. I went through what turns out to be a rather short dry spell. The fact is, I was not used to going more than a few weeks without composing, as I was so happily able to do as a student.
When a few of my old college friends asked me to compose something for a recital they were going to do, I was despondent. Then, one day, the compositional fires suddenly rekindled. Within a few weeks I had completed the piece. That was the pattern for creative work I've now becomed accustomed to. At that time, I was so overjoyed to be composing again I called the piece Pascha, the Hebrew word used to celebrate the exodus of the Israelites from Egypt.
Pascha Prices
Quartet 1981
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This quartet for strings in four movements was composed during what I call my "gothic" period. It runs the gamut of sound... from percussive to long soulful melodies, and from tonality to atonality.
Quartet 1981 Prices
Wind Trio
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A trio for Flute, Oboe, and Bassoon composed in 1981. It was first performed in the Summer of 1993. The three movements are "Being Fugueal", "Time To Do Things", and "That Again". The piece was written during a time which I describe as my "American Gothic" period. It breaks away from the tyranny of both tonality and the oppressive "twentieth-century" atonality of my contemporaries.
Being Fugueal Prices Time To Do Things Prices That Again Prices
Birthday Fugue
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On my birthday I was sitting at my computer, playing a solitaire game, when this piece came to visit. Naturally, I dropped what I was doing to capture it.
Birthday Fugue Prices
Quartet 1976
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The Quartet (1976) is the second in a series of pieces written for strings with movements entitled DIALOGUE. The first such piece was a 'Cello Sonata with two Movements and two Dialogues. The concept of the Dialogue movements is to present tightly structured interludes of an "argumentative" nature, whereby each instrument is used to voice its own, particular, musical idea, in contrast against the voices of other instruments.
Dialogue 1 Prices Dialogue 2 Prices Dialogue 3 Prices
Cello Quartet #1
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The Cello Quartet #1 is in two movements. It was composed during a time when I was doing a lot of traveling between my home in Lake County, CA and the San Francsico Bay Area in 2003.
Movement #1 Prices Movement #2 Prices
Thursday in San Francisco
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A light, and light-hearted piece describing an afternoon I left my toils as a free-lance technical writer to hang out with my friend, Pier Schwartz, in 1983. The piece is for Flute, Bb Clarinet, nad Bassoon.
Thursday in San Francisco Prices
Solo - Classical
CLASSICAL | JAZZ | ELECTRONIC | CONTEMPORARY
Reflections
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"Reflections" is the first piece for unaccompanied solo cello I composed, in 1972. It was later performed by a very young Zela Terry at a recital she did at Cal Tech in Pasadena, California. Zela is now the principal cellist with the Nice, Philharmonic and Opera Orchestra in France.
Reflections Prices
Gwynn Kelson
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Gwynn Kelson is the name of a student I had when I was a professor of music at UC Santa Barbara. Gwynn was a good flutist, who at the time, was 18 years old. I was struck by the dichotomy between the sophistication of her abilities as a performer and the somewhat "girlish" quality of her youth. This piece is thus, a musical sketch of her personality as I knew her. It has moments of sophistication and maturity interspersed between periods of playful, almost jazz-improvised sounding melodies ... much like the Gwynn Kelson I once knew.
Gwynn Kelson Prices
Meditations (Flute)
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Meditation 1 Prices Meditation 2 Prices Meditation 3 Prices
Piano Sonata
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This Piano Sonata in three movements was inspired by, and written for Jolie Maurer. It was started in the summer of 1981 and completed in the fall of 1986.
Movement 1 Prices Movement 2 Prices Movement 3 Prices
Cello Sonata
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Cello Sonata Prices
Jolie's Themes
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These pieces were written for Jolie Maurer, who was the source of their inspiration. She spent an entire evening once trying to convince me that some hit songs from musicals are very good, and that I should change my mind about musicals in general.
Monday Prices Tuesday Prices Wednesday Prices Thursday Prices Friday Prices
Angore
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Angore Prices
Dockwieler B.
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Dockwieler B.
Prices
For Elaine
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For Elaine
Prices
Duo - Classical
CLASSICAL | JAZZ | ELECTRONIC | CONTEMPORARY
After The Rain
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This piece was composed for a flutist friend of mine who was, at the time we were in high school together, a very good player. I also had a crush on her and found that composing pieces to play with her was a good way to get to see her.
After The Rain Prices
Cello Duo
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This is the first movement of the first cello duo I've composed. It was recorded at my house by myself and Jeff Ziegler in the summer of 1991
Cello Duo Prices
Chimera
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Enola Yadno a No Prices Yoj Rou Prices Emit On Si Ereht Prices
A Little Sadness, A Little Bitterness... Resolved
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While I was composing this Sonata for Cello for my good friend Lawrence Granger (who is the 5th chair cellist with the San Francisco Symphony), I asked if he would mind doing improvisation during the performance. He said that absolutely, under no circumstances would he improvise. So the middle part of the piece is an improvisation I recorded, then painstakingly notated for him. Lawrence premiered this Sonata on Sunday June 27, 1993 at the Old First Church in San Francisco. I accompanied him, performing on the computer.
A Little Sadness Prices
Voice - Classical
CLASSICAL | JAZZ | ELECTRONIC | CONTEMPORARY
Cycles
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Cycles was written as a reflection on how the meaning of words and music can fold into each other. This piece takes as inspiration three of the great emotions of life: love, despair, and hope, and explores how they are interrelated.
Love Prices Despair Prices Hope Prices
Evening of Life
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This poem was written when I was 16 years old and was always thinking about where my life was leading me. I set the poem to music during my Freshman year of college.
Evening Of Life Prices
Dhylan Thomas Trilogy
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While visiting my fiance in Cincinnati, Ohio in 1981 I found a book of Dylan Thomas poetry that I immediately became entranced by. Fortunately I brought music paper with me. It took a week to compose these three art songs for voice, piano, and flute: "In My Craft Or Sullen Art", "The Force That Through The Green Fuse Drives The Flower", and "And Death Shall Have No Dominion".
In My Craft of Sullen Art Prices The Force... Prices And Death Shall Have No Dominion Prices
Nocturne 1
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This composition for Women's chorus and chamber orchestra is the second in a series of pieces for this grouping. It was first performed by the "Dorians" at UCSB under the direction of Dr. Michael Ingram. This recording is of that performance.
Nocturne 1 Prices
Can You Touch the Sky
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This composition was inspired by Transit's stunning rendition of Imogen Heap's "Hide and Seek". It is composed for mixed chorus or quartet of voices. The arrangement by Joseph Bates really opened my ears to what could be done by modern small vocal ensembles.
Can You Touch the Sky Prices
Before You Sleep
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Part of a wedding cantata that I composed for my own wedding in 1987. It was actually composed in 1983 as part of a song cycle, and was fully arranged for orchestra to become part of the Wedding Cantata.
Before You Sleep
Prices
Hold It As You Would The Sand
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Part of the wedding cantata that I composed for my own wedding in 1987. It was actually composed in 1983 as part of a song cycle, and was fully arranged for orchestra to become part of the Wedding Cantata.
Hold It As You Would the Sand Prices
Wedding Offertory
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Part of the wedding cantata that I composed for my own wedding in 1987. It was actually composed in 1980 for the wedding of my brother Alwyn, and his wife Sharon. Like Before You Sleep, it was arranged for my Wedding Cantata for full orchestra.
Wedding Offertory Prices
Someday
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This short piece for Soprano Voice and Cello uses the words from the poem entitled "Someday" by James Kavanaugh. The cello is played across the lap like a guitar.
Someday Prices
Simplicity Calls
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This short piece for Soprano Voice and Cello uses the words from the poem entitled "Simplicity Calls " by James Kavanaugh. The cello is played across the lap like a guitar.
Simplicity Calls Prices
Music for Cassie
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Cassie Leber was a beautiful soul. She was badly injured after a skydiving accident at the age of 19 that left her trapped in a paralyzed body for a remaining 16 years. She died on January 1, 2008. Her father, Eric Leber, is a good friend who also happens to be a wonderful poet. We collaborated on this piece for Alto Voice, Narrator, Flute, Violin, Viola, and Piano in 2008. Five songs alternate between voice and narrator to present Eric's exquisite poems. "Music for Cassie" is dedicated, with love, to Cassie Leber.
Music for Cassie Prices
Diane (Beauty's Name)
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This was music was composed from a poem I wrote for a friend named Diane Stillman in 1982.
Diane (Beauty's Name) Prices
