 This brief trio starts off as a harmonic elaboration of a simple rhythm, touches on tango music and an appropriated, rearranged, and broken passacaglia, and then degenerates and collapses into descending chromatic passages that gradually wend their way home. It was written for three of my students, who wanted to play chamber music but were coming up short on two viola and one cello trios.

A Brief Trio

This short harpsichord piece was written as a backing track for a web film for Optimist Theatre, which brings free to the public, professional, outdoor productions of Shakespeare every summer in Kadish Park's majestic amphitheater, located in the Riverwest neighborhood in the heart of Milwaukee. I was asked to write something that was "like Dowland, but happy". I don't know what that means either, but here is music, loosely strung together in a two part form. Those with careful ears will hear the few seconds of music where the harpsichord player needs to grow a third arm. I fear this may reduce live performance opportunities without editing: however, if you'd like to play this for any reason, I can fix that right up.

Harpischord Portrait for Optimist Theatre

Minimalist in nature, this set of constantly evolving variations over a repeated bass line is one of my favorite recent works. It shifts through many metrical changes, explores the nature of overtone, sound, and musical focus, has flashes of virtuosity, and needs good headphones or excellent speakers to appreciate fully. The timbre of three real bass players is difficult to convey though this medium, complex, rich, and foreboding at times. This bass trio was written for three of my students in 2012.

Passacaglia for Bass Trio

Boston Sketches is a piece intended for a high school orchestra. It is intended as a snapshot and portrait of aspects of Boston's history and character. Musical elements include some sounds influenced by industry, city life, and Minimalism, quotations and elaborations on the Revolutionary War song "Chester" by prominent Boston musician and educator William Billings, and in a nod to the city's Irish heritage the traditional tunes "The Congress Reel" and "Sliabh Russell". Musical elements are combined in sometimes unexpected ways and provide an excellent springboard to talk about music history, folk music, harmony, and contemporary music practices and techniques. This was a commission from Wauwatosa East High School for their Boston trip in 2011. 

Boston Sketches

This cello trio is a set of variations on the Medieval tune "Ja Nun Hons Pris", "No man who is imprisoned", written by one Richard I King of England while he was kept prisoner for ransom at Durnstein castle. While Richard felt abandoned by his family, the truth is that his family was unaware of his location. The legend is that Blondel the troubadour discovered him at Durnstein through singing a love song Richard had wrote and hearing Richard sing the answering phrase. The variations are simple and tonal. Written in 2011.  I got to know this lovely melody though the singing and immeasurable artistry of Owain Phyfe, a friend too soon taken from us. To hear him sing this song, follow the link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RVRjmTdM4c8

The Lionheart in Captivity

My favorite piece of music from the Optimist Theatre's production of "Twelfth Night". Shakespeare specified a galliard for this music, but the cakewalk fit the setting. A quick twist to the tetrachords in a normal scale creates a set of modes that function like and unlike traditional modes - music from a planet next door, both familiar and alien, and a distinct pleasure to write in. Most of the show's music was from this sound world. This quartet is for piano, two violas, and clarinet.

Cakewalk from "Twelfth Night"

These are some digital realizations of music I've written. Look at this page as a kind of online sketchbook. Need some music like or unlike what you see here? Let's talk. When I'm not composing, I teach orchestra, play viola with the Fox Valley Symphony and other groups, perform at the Bristol Renaissance Faire, and play Irish music on fiddle with Ogham and Paddygrass. Thanks for stopping by.

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