When I first played for the BrSO back in 2015, I did not know what I was getting myself into. A new world of orchestral music and collaboration was ahead of me. I've had the great fortune to play tuba here for several seasons, and I'm even more lucky to have been commissioned twice (!) by such a fantastic ensemble.

Right from the onset we hear a triumphant theme in the horns. This theme will form the backbone of the work, constantly shifting and imitating with each appearance. I really wanted to find this feeling of flying through the air. There is an irregular heartbeat motive, never quite finding a solid pulse. We fly through several episodes, each featuring different sections of the orchestra: a piccolo solo, a timpani solo and brassy fanfares. The piece reaches its apex at a section I've marked: "at the peak of the mountain", where the horn, bassoons, trumpets and trombone revive the theme from the opening. There is a feeling of possibility, and almost apprehension, as if we are nervous to leap and take flight. But leap we do, and all of the various themes return, finding their final evolution before the piece roars to a finish. It has been an incredible privilege and delight to write for the BrSO.

Soaring Over The White Mountains

I have always loved Norton Juster’s children's novel, The Phantom Tollbooth, for its incredible allegories and general fun with the English language. Having re-read the story recently, I was quite struck by a chapter in the middle section of the book, where Milo, the main character, has traveled into a forest area and comes across an orchestra and its conductor, Chroma the Great. Chroma and his orchestra contribute color to this imaginary world. Certain instruments create certain shades of blue and green. The sunset and the sunrise are both pieces that are performed every day
I loved this idea of conducting the sunrise, of playing the color of the sky, the clouds and dayscapes. I based my small tone poem on what I imagined the sound of Chroma the Great and his orchestra would be. From sunrise to the full height of day, to clouds and storm, and finally from sunset to nightfall, where Juster’s words put it best: “The last colors slowly faded from the western sky, and, as they did, one by one the instruments stopped, until only the bass fiddles, in their somber slow movement, were left to play the night and a single set of silver bells, brightened the constellations. The conductor let his arms fall limply at his sides and stood quite still as darkness claimed the forest.”

The performance is by the Boston Conservatory Composer's Orchestra.

Chroma The Great

A wonderful performance by Grant Bingham and Soyun Cheon.

concrete sky/shrine

J4MN recorded at WCRB studios.

David Angelo, Chuck Furlong, Sophie Kass, clarinets
Steph Clark, bass clarinet

Binary Complex

Poem by E.E. Cummings

Ariel Downs, soprano
Laura Hundert, clarinet

Performed at the 2016 Cortona Sessions for New Music

The Sky Was

Recorded at the Bard College Conductor's Institute
David Vess, conductor

anima (draft)

Kevin MacFarland, cello

Recorded at the 2016 New Music on the Point Festival

...hears it, glowing...

for the Shiki Duo
Dan  Desimone and Ayami Okamura-marimba

They walked on stones that shattered worlds

Premiere performance given by Sophie Kass at my PSC recital 04/16
This piece was written specifically for Sophie.

alien radio

Ignite: Fanfare for the Brockton Symphony Orchestra

The first movement from a reading session with my lovely friend, David Angelo. We had one hour of rehearsal to read the piece down. 2nd and 3rd movements are coming soon.

livewire: concerto for bass clarinet Mvt. I escape

This is my first piece of concert music I that I have written. I started working on the piece after having performed David Maslanka's 4th Symphony. That is the work that inspired me to write music and this quintet is my response to that experience. It was premiered in Winston-Salem, NC at UNCSA in Crawford Hall, for Performance Hour. It was first performed by Matt Brunt and Ethan Pruitt, Trumpets, Chandler Spoons, Horn, Ted Oliver, Euphonium, and myself on the tuba. This recording is from the concert hall at Le Domaine Forget, a Canadian music festival in 2012. Andrew Gilliam, Luca Antonucci, trumpets, Dana Wilson, horn, Henry Van Engen, trombone, and myself on tuba.

Brass Quintet No. 1 was written in 2012.

Brass Quintet No. 1

This was the music I wrote for a friend of mine, Preston Jeter's 2nd year student film, Horizon. It is scored for chamber orchestra and is conducted my friend John McKeever. Horizon was a silent film and was my first experience at writing for film. I wrote the score in a 3 week period and had the entire work read, rehearsed, and recorded all in the same 3 hour session, which was the only session we were going to be able to have. Because of that, the music has a much more simpler and minimal vibe to it than I usually write.  It was an incredible experience.

Horizon is scored for clarinet, tenor saxophone, trumpet, trombone, vibraphone, piano, and strings. It was written in 2012.

Horizon, Film Score I. Overture

Horizon, Film Score II. The Ride Sequence

Composer, musician and teacher living in Foxborough, MA. This is my concert works profile. I write personal music for my friends as well as college and community ensembles.

David Vess - Music

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