"Innocent Bystander" was written for the JACK String Quartet, performed by them in April 2015.

"innocent bystander" by Craig Michael Davis (performed live April 2015) by JACK Quartet

"Resonance" was written for a snare drum quartet. The impetus for this piece was the different overtones found by striking the drum stick at different nodes or points on the rim of the snare drum. I.e. as you strike the stick near the center, lower overtones occur; as you strike the stick near the tip, higher overtones occur. This piece is best heard live so that all the overtones can be heard circling around the room. Contrary to common practice, the performers only play on the drum head at the end of the piece. At which point, the overtones occur in a similar fashion. I.e. as the player moves to the inside of the drum head, lower overtones are heard; as the player moves to the outside of the drum head, higher overtones are heard.  

"Resonance" for Snare Drum Quartet

"Re-Creation" was inspired by the creation account in the Bible. It was premiered in Ukraine by the L'viv Philharmonic Orchestra in 2015. 

Re - Creation (L'viv Philharmonic Orchestra)

Instrumentation: Piano, Vibraphone, and Cello.

White Noise

Instrumentation: Fixed Media

Music is bound by the listener’s perception of time, usually in a linear fashion. My piece Ever Be Deconstruction sets up a soundworld in which many “times” or “tempos” happen at the same time but at different rates and in different places. It ultimately proposes this question: Can anyone exist outside of time? And, if so, what would music sound like? 

We as listeners will ultimately perceived this piece “in time,” and that is fine. What I hope to accomplish with this piece is to stretch the limitations and normal way of perceiving music in time. Layering different tempos is not, if fact, a new idea, but I use it here as a way to create something beautiful while questioning the listeners preconceived idea about time. 

Technical specs:
This piece would sound best with an 8-channel, circular set-up, however, the version I am submitting is in Stereo, and that is fine for a performance if necessary. To create this piece, I used different spectral analysis techniques where I ran short bits of pre-recorded sound files through a spectral analyzer. I was then able to bring out certain harmonics or overtones to change the overarching harmonic structure throughout. I also ran the same sound files through a granular synthesis software that chopped up the sound files into millisecond long grains, and spat them back out with minute changes that were the result of some minor preconceived coding. Using Protools, I then assembled the sound files to create a loose Rounded Binary or Ternary structure for the sounds to fit into. I then used other delay and feedback processes to blend certain sounds together as well as balance each sound to create a consistency throughout while controlling secondary parameters: dynamics, articulations, etc.

Ever Be Deconstruction

     Craig Michael Davis is an internationally known composer, conductor, pianist and piano technician from California who currently lives in Manhattan, NY. He performs with “The Craig Michael Davis” Contemporary Music Ensemble, which he founded in 2012.

     Receiving a Master’s of Music in Theory and Composition from the New York University, Craig studied with Michael Gordon, Julia Wolfe, and Justin Dello Joio. Craig’s most recent work Re-Creation for string orchestra, based on the creation account in the book of Genesis, was performed by the L’viv Philharmonic Orchestra, in May 2015. 

     Since 2009, Craig has conducted various full and scratch orchestra-type ensembles, including the Broadway Chamber Players, the New Music Ensemble at California State University, Fullerton; the Fullerton Choir; and The White Noise Contemporary Music Ensemble. These ensembles have curated music from the Renaissance through music of today including David Lang, Louis Andriessen, Terry Riley, Kyle Gann, Lloyd Rodgers, and Frederic Rzewski.

     His writing has earned a number of awards and residencies, among which include the 2015 Fairbanks Alaska Music Festival Residency, The 2013 Alan A. Mannason Award for Composition, and the 2012 Henriquez Award for Composition. His music has been played in the United States as well as in Europe. Most recently, his works have been performed by the L’viv Philharmonic Orchestra in L’viv, Ukraine; by the JACK Quartet in New York; and at various new music performance spaces in New York City. Craig’s music is published through Jack Harrison Publishing Inc.

Some of his music can be heard via www.CraigMichaelDavis.com
