Dover Beach was meant to be a string orchestra piece; however, the preliminary reading (the enclosed recording) was done as a string quintet. It was played during Merit School of Music’s Annual Performathon on Feb. 20, 2010, and at the Grainger Ballroom of the Chicago Symphony Center on March 14th, 2010 in celebration of Mark Anthony Turnage's residency with the CSO and collaboration with the Merit School of Music. Both performances were in string quintet form. It is based on Matthew Arnold’s poem of the same name, and is an evocation of the power of nature and its connection with deep thought. The piece was written to reflect the structure and spirit of the poem. I was inspired to write this piece because of the beauty of the poem, and its eloquence with which it describes a changing world. Dover Beach won 1st place the 2010 IMEA All-State Composition Program in the Solo/Chamber Ensemble category.

Dover Beach (for String Orchestra)

An attempt to capture the essence of Spanish guitar in a piano piece.

Tocatta alla Chitarra Spagnola

A piece for Merit School of Music's Wind Ensemble, a set of variations on a central Chinese mountain song.

Variations on the Kangding Love Song (for Wind Symphony)

From the Steppes of Mongolia was inspired by my study of Mongolian music, which took me on a journey through different types of throat-singing (found through YouTube), extended techniques, and instruments. With the strings, I wanted to create the effect of a morin khuur, or horse-head fiddle. I also tried to create the effect of throat singing and the whistle tones that the technique creates. I tried to convey a sense of the endless steppes, over which stampede Mongolia’s famous herds of wild horses. The empty landscape evokes desolation, yet at the same time a peace and innate courage that can be found in very few other places in the world. From the Steppes of Mongolia took Honorable Mention at the 2011 Generation Next Young Composer's Competition.


From the Steppes of Mongolia (for Piccolo, Bass Clarinet, Violin, and Cello)

Three Songs Without Words was written in 2009. It is inspired by the lyrical works of many composers, such as Mendelssohn and Grieg. It describes three very different moods, during a long, harsh Chicago winter, which was made harder by the fact that I had just discovered I had to face new physical difficulties. Three Songs Without Words took third place in the Illinois Music Educators Association’s 2009 Illinois All-State Composition Competition. 

Three Songs Without Words - I. Darkly Chanting (for Trumpet, Violin, and Cello)

Three Songs Without Words was written two years ago. It is inspired by the lyrical works of many composers, such as Mendelssohn and Grieg. It describes three very different moods, during a long, harsh Chicago winter, which was made harder by the fact that I had just discovered I had to face new physical difficulties. The second movement, Lamenting, is a direct channeling of the depression I had felt afterward discovering the nature of these physical challenges. Three Songs Without Words took third place in the Illinois Music Educators Association’s 2009 All-State Composition Competition. 


Three Songs Without Words - II. Lamenting (for Trumpet, Violin, and Cello)

Three Songs Without Words was written two years ago. It is inspired by the lyrical works of many composers, such as Mendelssohn and Grieg. It describes three very different moods, during a long, harsh Chicago winter, which was made harder by the fact that I had just discovered I had to face new physical difficulties. The third movement, Spring Fanfare, was my resolve to look towards springtime and the brighter side of everything. Three Songs Without Words took third place in the Illinois Music Educators Association’s 2009 All-State Composition Competition. 


David Jin