Blog

20 Nov 2016, Article
On the horizon
The premiere of A Fanfare for New Horizons was a wonderful success. The work was performed at the Quinlan Center in Cupertino, CA on Sunday, November 13. I conducted the Cupertino Symphonic Band and the soloists were our fantastic horn section. The horn players (six) all played their hearts out and the audience enjoyed the piece; some of them saying it was their favorite work on the program. Several of my pieces have been purchased this month from JWPepper. I’m not entirely sure why the ...

10 May 2015, Article
New inspiration
Inspiration can be fickle. Typically, I finish works successfully but occasionally a work will get left behind in the dust of another. In April, I began working on a set of pieces for Narrator and Symphonic Band based on Aesop's Fables. Even as I began the Aesop Fables, I knew my impetus to complete the work wasn't incredibly strong and I suspected that the work would be shelved for later if another idea came along. I was well in to the fourth movement when I decided to tackle another project. The new ...

24 Apr 2015, Article
Aesop - Part 1
My latest project is a work for Symphonic Band and Narrator based on several fables by Aesop. I have always been interested in works for narration and, for a number of reasons; I was immediately drawn to the idea of using Aesop's fables. First, there are numerous fables to choose from. The Perry Index reveals 725 different fables, though the authenticity of some of the fables has been questioned. Second, they are great tools for teaching morals to children. Some of the actions are rather graphic but the ...

08 Apr 2015, Article
Selfish and Lazy
This is my first blog post. I had considered writing it for a while now but finally realized that I would actually need to spend some time, maybe even stop composing for a bit, to get it done. With this first blog entry, I would like to get a few details out of the way. My motivation for doing this blog is largely selfish. Since graduating with my Master's Degree in Composition in 2012, I have noticed a dramatic drop in my writing skills. I no longer had to regularly write papers, which would ...
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03 Apr 2015, Article
STARS for concert band
Earlier this week, I decided to adapt my work for SATB choir, STARS, for concert band. The arrangement is now complete and parts are ready. The work will be uploaded to this site soon and available on JWPepper in the upcoming weeks. Be sure to check back for future updates.
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