My brand-new choral song cycle “In Memoriam“, commissioned by Jonathan Bautista,  is receiving its world premiere by Nova Vocal Ensemble this Sunday 5/21/17 at 7:30pm at Eagle Rock Covenant Church. This has been my biggest and most important piece as of yet, as it reflects on the still very palpable American tragedies that occurred in … Continue reading May 15th, 2017 →

“Two Friends” (the first movement of the choral song cycle As Time Stops To Rest) paints a peaceful scene of two friends losing track of time as they sit by the ocean enjoying their time together. The piece opens with serene rolled chords in the piano, which continue throughout almost the entirety of the movement. The constant rolling of the piano creates a sense of ocean waves continuously ebbing and flowing. The opening tenor solo describes the tranquil setting and is then joined by the full choir as “warmth and happiness intermix to form an afternoon shared by two close friends”. The movement features lush harmonies and detailed ensemble interplay. The movement concludes with the continued rolled chords in the piano and a final soft low cluster, as if the texture is sinking into the ocean.

As Time Stops To Rest is a three-movement song cycle for SSAATTBB Choir and Piano, with featured soprano and tenor soloists. The cycle is dedicated to the composer’s late aunt Susan Jordan. The works sets three poems from a larger set of poetry entitled As Time Stops To Rest, also written by Susan Jordan. The song cycle has an overall arch form of peace followed by tragedy and loss, ultimately giving way to a final sense of peace.

Two Friends may be performed as part of the entire song cycle or as a stand-alone piece.

Also see the second movement Storm’s End and the third/final movement Magic.

The Candlelight Was Burning Low is a quiet and pensive original Christmas carol describing a dark and cold winter before Jesus Christ was born on Christmas morning. The text paints a picture of the world waiting in quiet darkness for light, unaware that it’s savior and eternal light is about to be born.

This carol would make a wonderful addition to an Advent Festival of Lessons and Carols or a candlelight prayer service.

“Storm’s End” (the second movement of the choral song cycle As Time Stops To Rest) opens with violent and flurried storm-like arpeggios in the piano, in stark contrast to the peaceful character of “Two Friends”. The tenors and basses open with a rigid imitative texture asserting how “the storm raged across the bliss field”. The piano then mimics raindrops falling more and more violently before finally giving way to a calmer texture. After the “storm” has ended, the full choir enters in a mostly homophonic, hymn-like texture describing an overwhelming peace that sometimes follows after an intense tragedy or loss. The piece climaxes on the words “day” and “fire”, alluding to the feeling of being in love with one’s life despite (and perhaps because of) the pain and suffering one has endured.

As Time Stops To Rest is a three-movement song cycle for SSAATTBB Choir and Piano, with featured soprano and tenor soloists. The cycle is dedicated to the composer’s late aunt Susan Jordan. The works sets three poems from a larger set of poetry entitled As Time Stops To Rest, also written by Susan Jordan. The song cycle has an overall arch form of peace followed by tragedy and loss, ultimately giving way to a final sense of peace.

Storm’s End may be performed as part of the song cycle or as a stand-alone piece.

Also see the first movement Two Friends and the third movement Magic.

Lorem Ipsum is an a cappella piece for SATB, with occasional divisi. The text of Lorem Ipsum originates from the non-sense Latin used as filler text in media design, such as newspaper and newsletter templates. The non-sense Latin is a useful way for designers to see how the layout will look with text, without the distraction of real words.

“Lorem Ipsum” sets this Latin text in a chant-like fashion, reminiscent of Gregorian chants containing actual Latin text. The voices weave in and out of each other, creating rich and surprising harmonies. This piece plays with the juxtaposition of ancient-sounding Latin combined with modern, tight choral harmonies.

A Boat Beneath A Sunny Sky is the closing poem of Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. The first letter of every line of text spells out the name Alice Pleasance Liddell, whom Carroll was (scandalously) very close to and was said to have inspired his book. The musical setting of the poem captures the wonder of childhood but also the dark nostalgia that accompanies the passage of time.

Alleluia is part of the sacred mass tradition and is associated with praise and acclamations. This modern setting of the Alleluia text, commissioned by Choral Arts Initiative for the 2019 PREMIERE|Project Festival, opens with a fanfare-like piano solo. The choir then enters and slowly builds in excitement before reaching a climax. The B section of this piece explores different choral textures, using flowing lines and dynamic swells. After the flowing triplet section, the opening material returns and builds until the final joyous ending.

This bright Alleluia setting would fit well into any sacred service, especially Easter Sunday.

The Skye Boat Song is a Scottish folk song that tells the story of how Prince Charlie escaped from a defeat in battle by disguising himself as a serving maid and sailing away on a boat. The lyrics describe the aftermath of his defeat in battle and refer to the Claymore, which is a Scottish sword, and Culloden’s Field, the battlefield where Prince Charlie’s defeat occurred in 1746.

Commissioned by Jonathan Bautista and Nova Vocal Ensemble, this arrangement reharmonizes the traditional folk song with a contemporary twist and features an SATB choir and featured Tenor solo. This arrangement would work well for any a cappella high school, college, or community choir looking for modern arrangements of traditional folk songs.

Coventry Carol is a traditional English Christmas Carol written in the 1500s. It tells the somber story of how King Herod, feeling threatened upon hearing the news of Jesus’ birth, ordered that all young boys under the age of two in Bethlehem be killed. The “Coventry Carol” is a lullaby sung by the grieving mothers who have lost their children in this tragic massacre.

This arrangement, commissioned by Jonathan Bautista and Nova Vocal Ensemble, sets the traditional English melody with jazz-inspired harmonies and modal inflections. A powerful Baritone solo, representing King Herod, highlights the darkness of Herod’s decree. The arrangement also contains an original intro, interlude, and outro. This arrangement would be a great fit for any Festival of Lessons and Carols or sacred Christmas concert.