For solo flute, incorporating a variety of techniques into a cohesive structure.

Kate Lukas, flute

Reve 1 (2011)

The revised version of Fairytale, performed by the University Orchestra of Indiana University under Manny Laureano.  Also, quite a bit of applause at the end…

Timothee Berte-Renou plays the cello solo.

Fairytale (rev. 2012)

There is a gray thing that lives in the tree-tops
None know the horror of its sight
Save those who meet death in the wilderness
But one is enabled to see
To see branches move at its passing
To hear at times the wail of black laughter
And to come often upon mystic places
Places where the thing has just been.

--Stephen Crane--


Upon Mystic Places (2013)

Two kinds of music are juxtaposed against one another, each trying to outdo, or even outlast, the other.

Reve 3 was composed for cellist Isabel Kwon, who gave the premiere.  I am grateful for her talent, artistry, and dedication to this challenging piece.

Reve 3

2021-10-22 CCM Concert Orchestra

Lyric Pieces, Op. 43, I Hjemmet

Lyric Pieces, Op. 43, Erotikk

Lyric Pieces, Op. 43, Ensom Vandrer

Performed by Maja Radovanlija and Guido Sanchez

Ouverture from Red and White Suite for guitar duo (2011)

Based on the aesthetics of Northwest Coast First Nations carving.  Performed by the Third Coast Percussion Quartet.

Deep Carving (2006)

The Nameless Path is a metaphor for how the piece was composed.  I began with a relatively clear idea of what
I thought I wanted to happen in the piece, but at a certain point, I found myself in a place I wasn't expecting.  It wasn't a bad place, and truth be told I quite liked where I ended up, but I no longer knew what was around the bend in the path.  In a sense, I let the music lead me where it wanted to go.  Sometimes, I could see a little ways in front of me.  Then I would have to pause, ﬁgure out where the music seemed to want to go, and continue on my way.  It was unsettling at times, but exciting, too.

The Nameless Path is an invitation to explore, to try something a little bit new, to look around for a change and really notice things you take for granted.  As such, I've made sure that there are plenty of details to draw the listener in.  Hopefully, if you listen to it several times, you'll notice something new each time.

The Nameless Path (2022), for 13 players

NEWLY UPDATED RECORDING!!  The full concerto, performed by Solungga Liu with the IU New Music Ensemble under David Dzubay.

0:00  Intro
1:40   Tango
5:18   Cortina I
7:22   Vals
10:20  Cortina II
13:38  Milonga

Concierto De Milonga (2015)

Written for the harp and violin team, BloomingDuo, in honor of the life and work of internationally renowned harpist, Susann McDonald.

Vals For Susann

A rough cut of movement I from "Three Dances."  Ji-Woon Jung, violin; Fan-Fen Tai, harp.  Recording by Walter Everton.

I Salome

Songs of Loss I:  I heard thee laugh… (2005)

Sanctuary (2016)

For percussion duo, performed by the Proper Glue Duo.  Based on rhythmic interversion techniques that translate aurally into constantly shifting rhythmic patterns, visually into the players forking outward from the center, and timbrelly into a shift from pitched metal to unpitched skins.

Pitch-fork (2008)

Elementos for violin, bandoneon, piano and bass, performed by Cuarteto Tanguero.

Tango de Fuego y Agua

Tango de Aire y Tierra

Box Gardens for flute and guitar; performed by Linda Chatterton (flute) and Maja Radovanlija (guitar).

Box Gardens mvmnt 3 edit 3

Box Gardens mvmnt 2 edit 2

Box Gardens mvmnt 1 edit 4

For orchestra and optional video.  The piece represents a year in the life of Yellowwood State Forest in Brown County, Indiana.  It is organized according to the seasons.  The 'Spring' section is a musical parody of Malcolm Dalglish's choral hymn, 'Great Trees,' after a poem by Wendell Berry.  Performed by the IU Concert Orchestra under maestro Angel Gil-Ordonez.  Special thanks to the IU Audio Engineering department, in addition to Jozef Caldwell and Steven Thomas for their invaluable editing assistance.

Check out the video on vimeo:  https://vimeo.com/397991025

Yellowwood (2019)

Trois Plus Eclats for string quartet, from the Eclats Cycle, performed by the JACK Quartet at Northwestern University, 2007.

Aaron Travers

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