I have a long and dusty road to climb
and every twist and turn is in my mind
If you should find me gone this Easter morn
then know i'm walking bound for heaven's door

C'mon c'mon get up and go
Get up put your feet on the road
I know
why I was born
to find your door

Once I start walking
My mind stops talking
and I look at the ground
beneath my feet and
lo and behold
it's paved in gold
and i've got diamonds
up my sleeve
and I've got a song
it carries me along
and my heart is growing
nearly overflowing
like a stream
going to the sea
and my feet keep walking
towards Thee.

I'm Walking (Bound For Heaven's Door)

A song to encourage the Divine to chisel one's life according to His will. 

Chiseling (Demo)

De Este Lado del Mar

        A small consort of strings joins a full-sized wind ensemble in Sinfonietta.  Although it is not a concerto, Sinfonietta flips the classical notion of an orchestra on its head.  Whereas the Classical orchestra represented a string ensemble with wind and brass coloration, Sinfonietta takes a full wind ensemble and adds strings for coloration, blending and melding the string timbre with the wind ensemble medium.    
        As this work is not a concerto, balancing the relatively weak quartet of strings with the full wind ensemble creates challenges, which Sinfonietta addresses in four ways.  It uses the strings as individual and string tutti soloists with sparse accompaniment.  It creates windows inside heavy textures to allow the strings to appear.  It doubles the strings with instruments of similar timbre to add strength in fuller tutti sections.  Finally, it uses the disparity of acoustical power between the strings and full wind ensemble to create dramatic tension.
        Sinfonietta relies upon American folk music as a point of departure along with the unique sound combinations available with this instrumentation.  The pentatonic melodies, open harmonic intervals, and regular phrase structure serve as building blocks for the music.  The sound of the human voice, integral to the singing of folk tunes, is embraced in the ornamentation of the solo lines.  Along with this mimicry is a moment of actual singing by members of the ensemble.  Since wind players, brass players, and vocalists all require a breath to make their music, Sinfonietta also celebrates the sound of the human breath.  Written into the score are instructions for the whole ensemble to breathe audibly together.  This airy, musical sound is integral to both the sound of the human voice as well as the sound of a pipe organ, the timbre of which is emulated at the piece's final climax. 

Premiered by Stephen Davis and the UMKC Conservatory Wind Symphony

Sinfonietta for wind ensemble augmented with string quartet

Ilesa Single

Ilesa

You kindled my heart
With a desire
for Calm.
You soaked my soul
in the Ocean of 
Peace

You said,
you're coming for me.

It's a waterfall
I'm falling down
Love inside and
all around.

Aum Hallelujah

Born with sunrise,
with a desire for
Calm.
Smiling in the sunset,
I am soaked in your Peace.

I am older 
than the tree. 

I am praying in your light.

It's a waterfall
I'm falling down.
Love inside and all around.

AUm Hallelujah

Aum Hallelujah

Yogi disciple of Paramhansa Yogananda and student of Swami Kriyananda. 

Chiseling (Demo)

Aaron Resendiz