The monarch butterfly is the most widely known and recognized butterfly in North America.  Its complete metamorphosis is a remarkable display of Nature's creativity.  First, the tiny monarch caterpillar (barely visible to the naked eye) hatches from an egg.  This caterpillar will shed its skin several times as it continues to eat and grow.  When the caterpillar reaches its full growth, it will hang upside down and shed its skin one final time, leaving it encased in a shell called a chrysalis. An extraordinary transformation takes place inside the chrysalis and, at last, a beautiful monarch butterfly emerges. 

The first of two sections in Monarch Metamorphosis and Migration aims to sonically illustrate this complete metamorphosis.  Musical motives, themes, and instrumentation all grow in complexity until reaching a final transformative stage.  Once the monarch butterfly develops and emerges, it majestically spreads and expands its wings... then takes flight!

The second section is dedicated to the annual migration unique to the monarch butterfly.  To avoid a cold and deadly winter, the monarchs traverse south and west for up to 2,500 miles.  While one generation with a life span of seven months or more will complete this trek, it will take three different generations to make the return trip - each with a life span of fewer than two months.  The music calls back on metamorphosis motives, representing the repeated life cycles within the greater migration.  A climactic finish paints a picture of millions of monarch butterflies flooding the sky.  They are en route to somewhere they have never been, but this destination is where their journey once commenced over a generation ago.

Monarch Metamorphosis and Migration || Wind Ensemble/Band

Chivalry dates back to the medieval institution of knighthood.  While its meaning has changed over time, Of Chivalry and Valor celebrates some of the central tenets deeply rooted in the original chivalric code.

The militaristic beginning of the composition depicts a courageous battle during war time, where knights would demonstrate their loyalty, bravery, and valor.  Following the battle, the music portrays the softer values of generosity and selflessness.  The inspiration for this middle section, full of honor and gallantry, was my dear friend Melany Felsen.  The main thematic material for this middle section pulls heavily from one of her favorite themes as a clarinetist, found in the second movement of Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto No. 2.  For the finale, we return to the battlefield to witness the heroic triumph for the chivalrous warriors.

Of Chivalry and Valor was commissioned and premiered by Anthony Rivera (Eastern Technical High School, Baltimore County Public Schools) in 2013.

Of Chivalry and Valor || Wind Ensemble/Band

Watch this scene at https://vimeo.com/84095984

Re-scoring of a scene from Gran Hotel
Instrumentation:  1/1/2/1 - 3/0/0/0 - strings (8.6.4.4.2)
Conducted by Peter Pejtsik
Recorded by the Budapest Art Orchestra, East Connection Music Recording Corporation
December 16, 2013

The Kiss

This is a midi produced one-minute opening titles sequence for a space documentary television series.

In Hubble's Eyes (main titles)

This two-minute work celebrates Boston College, weaving in thematic material from both "For Boston" and "Hail! Alma Mater!", the school's fight song and alma mater, respectively.

Instrumentation: 2(II=picc)/2/2/2 - 3/2/3/1 - timp, perc - hp, pno - strings (10.8.6.6.3)
Composed and Conducted by David Faleris
Mixing and Mastering by Pablo G. Schuller and David Faleris
Recorded at AIR Studios Lyndhurst Hall
May 20, 2014
Recording Engineer: Jake Jackson
Assistant Engineer: Fiona Cruickshank
Orchestra Contractor: Hilary Skewes
Special Thanks to Lucio Godoy, Alfons Conde, Vanessa Garde, Maggie Rodford

On a personal note, it brought great joy to record this just a few days before my 10-year college reunion.  Go Eagles!

'Til the echoes ring again...

Dark (Shan, phase 1)

Light (Shan, phase 1)

Game Trailer created at Global Game Jam 2014 (Gandia)

What You See is Who You Are (trailer)

Insert Coin to Play (intro)

Returning Home in Bits (Kontakt design)

Waking Up (Shan, phase 2)

Enlightenment (Shan, Phase 2)

Ladybug Quest (main menu)

A love that can never be... || Harp Quintet

Trbn 1: Kirk Ferguson, Assistant Principal Trombone, Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra
Trbn 2: Mark Hetzler, Professor of Trombone, University of Wisconsin-Madison (former Empire Brass and former Principal Trombone of Hartford Symphony)
Trbn 3: Dylan Chmura-Moore, Assistant Professor of Trombone, University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh
Bass: Alan Carr, Professor of Low Brass, Concordia University Wisconsin

City of Arts and Sciences || Trombone Quartet

ACCBDA 2017

A Martyred Village || Brass Quintet

Go, lovely Rose-
Tell her that wastes her time and me,
That now she knows,
When I resemble her to thee,
How sweet and fair she seems to be.

Tell her that's young,
And shuns to have her graces spied,
That hadst thou sprung
In deserts where no men abide,
Thou must have uncommended died.

Small is the worth
Of beauty from the light retired:
Bid her come forth,
Suffer herself to be desired,
And not blush so to be admired.

Then died-and gone
The common fate of all things rare
May read in thee;
How small a part of time they share
That are so wondrous sweet and fair!

-- Edmund Waller

David Faleris

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