Compositions are like Children: Composers tend to love them all, perhaps with their favorite being the most recent.

Out of the 20 hours of my very eclectic and varied music on this SoundCloud page, the works on this list are my 10 favorites — today, at least.

ReuterMusic — Rocky's TOP 10 … today, at least

12 complete compositions for band, including chamber wind ensemble to two antiphonal bands to works with soloists (horn concerto, percussion concerto, band & choir, band & solo singers, brass band & tuba, etc.); also included is music history tour using "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" and "the first" minimal composition ever written for band (Modicum III).

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For more information, see Rocky J. Reuter's Web site at rreuter.wix.com/reutermusic
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Click individual tracks to see program notes for each piece:

ReuterMusic BAND PlayList • Rocky J. Reuter, composer

Nine compositions for various orchestral combinations, from youth strings to soloist with strings and percussion to piano four-hands and full orchestra.

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For more information, see Rocky J. Reuter's Web site at rreuter.wix.com/reutermusic
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Click on each work for detailed program notes:
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ReuterMusic ORCHESTRAL PlayList • Rocky J. Reuter, composer

Minimalism has played an important role in my compositions since I first heard Reich's "Come Out." My first was Modicum I, quickly followed by Modicum II, with a total of four works in the Modicum Series. Other works have a similar approach while others are quite different. In the end, all are minimal in one way or another, and there is a good dose of minimalism sprinkled throughout my works from 1981 onward. Click on each work for program notes.

ReuterMusic MINIMALISM PlayList • Rocky J. Reuter, composer

This compilation includes all of my vocal music, including voice with piano, small and medium chamber compositions featuring voice, choral ensembles, and large ensembles with prominent vocal parts.

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For more information, see Rocky J. Reuter's Web site at rreuter.wix.com/reutermusic
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ReuterMusic VOCAL/CHORAL PlayList • Rocky J. Reuter, Composer

"Z" was composed in 2003 on a commissioned by Paul Droste for the Brass Band of Columbus, and features Tony Zilincik as the tuba soloist. The title is both a play on the soloist's name and the fact that Z-cells (0-1-6-7) — a subset of the larger R-cell: 0-1-2-3-6-7) that is the basis of the piece — play and important part in the harmonic content of the work.


Dr. Rocky J. Reuter (b. 1956) composes music for a vast array of acoustic and electronic ensembles in a myriad of styles, using varied and unique techniques. He is the recipient of numerous commissions nationally and internationally, has been recognized with funding from the National Endowment for the Arts, Meet the Composer, Ohio Arts Council Award for Excellence in Composition, and Greater Columbus Arts Council. Recent commissions have come from the Dubuque Symphony Orchestra and the Pi Kappa Lambda National Music Honor Society. His works have previously been featured at the Budapest Autumn Festival, Miscolz Arts Festival, Liszt Academy of Music, Hochschule für Musik in Dresden, Shen Yang Conservatory of Music in China; at international, national, and/or regional conferences of the Society of Composers, Society for Electro-Acoustic Music in the United States, College Music Society, National Association for Music Education, Association for Technology in Music Instruction, and Technology Institute for Music Educators; at state music education conventions in Wisconsin, Indiana, Georgia, and Ohio; and at university and contemporary music events throughout the nation. He has created original works in the electronic studios of the Dresden Hochschule für Musik and the Budapest National Radio at the invitation of the studio directors, and is the co-author of “Electronic Musical Instruments” in the book Technology Guide for Music Educators. Prior to his 30-year tenure as a professor and dean at Capital University Conservatory of Music, he also taught at the schools of music at James Madison University (MME) and The Ohio State University (DMA).

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For more information, see Rocky J. Reuter's Web site at rreuter.wix.com/reutermusic
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"Z" — for Tuba and Brass Band • Rocky J. Reuter, composer

Millennial Fanfare was commissioned by Timothy E. Swinehart for the Capital University Wind Symphony for a performance at the 2000 State Conference of the Ohio Music Education Association. While it was performed there, it was premiered at the Innaugural Ceremony of Daniel Felicetti, the 13th President of Capital University. Opening the work is a “stereo” percussion section (two separate sections placed on either side of the winds, with the timpani in  the back center) followed by two chords (Bbm9,13 and GbMaj9,13) that saturate the fanfare and are accompanied by ascending scales. These extended tertian chords are interrupted by only one other chord (BMaj9,b5) prior to the return of the percussive opening. The piece unexpectedly resolves to an F major triad before the triumphant unison ending.


Dr. Rocky J. Reuter (b. 1956) composes music for a vast array of acoustic and electronic ensembles in a myriad of styles, using varied and unique techniques. He is the recipient of numerous commissions nationally and internationally, has been recognized with funding from the National Endowment for the Arts, Meet the Composer, Ohio Arts Council Award for Excellence in Composition, and Greater Columbus Arts Council. Recent commissions have come from the Dubuque Symphony Orchestra and the Pi Kappa Lambda National Music Honor Society. His works have previously been featured at the Budapest Autumn Festival, Miscolz Arts Festival, Liszt Academy of Music, Hochschule für Musik in Dresden, Shen Yang Conservatory of Music in China; at international, national, and/or regional conferences of the Society of Composers, Society for Electro-Acoustic Music in the United States, College Music Society, National Association for Music Education, Association for Technology in Music Instruction, and Technology Institute for Music Educators; at state music education conventions in Wisconsin, Indiana, Georgia, and Ohio; and at university and contemporary music events throughout the nation. He has created original works in the electronic studios of the Dresden Hochschule für Musik and the Budapest National Radio at the invitation of the studio directors, and is the co-author of “Electronic Musical Instruments” in the book Technology Guide for Music Educators. Prior to his 30-year tenure as a professor and dean at Capital University Conservatory of Music, he also taught at the schools of music at James Madison University (MME) and The Ohio State University (DMA).

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For more information, see Rocky J. Reuter's Web site at rreuter.wix.com/reutermusic
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Millennial Fanfare — for band  • Rocky J. Reuter, composer

BeBop VooDoo was commissioned by saxophonist Michael Cox, was completed on 11/23/95, and premiered on 12/3/95 — the recording heard here, performed by the incomparable Michael Cox and Jim Ed Cobbs. The work evokes both of the images in its title, sometimes as contrasting moods and at other times as merged impressions. While traditional notation is used throughout most of the work, it also requires both musicians to improvise based on the style and directions set forth by the composer.


Dr. Rocky J. Reuter (b. 1956) composes music for a vast array of acoustic and electronic ensembles in a myriad of styles, using varied and unique techniques. He is the recipient of numerous commissions nationally and internationally, has been recognized with funding from the National Endowment for the Arts, Meet the Composer, Ohio Arts Council Award for Excellence in Composition, and Greater Columbus Arts Council. Recent commissions have come from the Dubuque Symphony Orchestra and the Pi Kappa Lambda National Music Honor Society. His works have previously been featured at the Budapest Autumn Festival, Miscolz Arts Festival, Liszt Academy of Music, Hochschule für Musik in Dresden, Shen Yang Conservatory of Music in China; at international, national, and/or regional conferences of the Society of Composers, Society for Electro-Acoustic Music in the United States, College Music Society, National Association for Music Education, Association for Technology in Music Instruction, and Technology Institute for Music Educators; at state music education conventions in Wisconsin, Indiana, Georgia, and Ohio; and at university and contemporary music events throughout the nation. He has created original works in the electronic studios of the Dresden Hochschule für Musik and the Budapest National Radio at the invitation of the studio directors, and is the co-author of “Electronic Musical Instruments” in the book Technology Guide for Music Educators. Prior to his 30-year tenure as a professor and dean at Capital University Conservatory of Music, he also taught at the schools of music at James Madison University (MME) and The Ohio State University (DMA).

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For more information, see Rocky J. Reuter's Web site at rreuter.wix.com/reutermusic
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BeBop VooDoo — for Tenor Sax and Percussion • Rocky J. Reuter, composer

Visions within the Silence, based on Lenore Kandel's (pictured to the right) poem Rose/Vision, was composed while traveling on an airplane from Columbus (OH) to Budapest (Hungary) and a train to Dresden (Germany) and back. The work is dedicated to my Dresden colleague, Rainer Lischka, who teaches composition at the Hochschule für Music—Carl Maria von Weber. Visions… was composed for The Early Interval of Columbus and premiered by that group under the leadership of its Artistic Director, Ron Cook, at the Capital University NOW MUSIC Festival ’97. 

Kandel was a 1960s San Francisco beat poet whose works were very controversial because so many were explicitly sexual in nature. Rose/Vision is from Kandel's book, "Word Alchemy." When I first sought permission to use a Kandel text, her publisher told me that she had disappeared in the mid-'70s. According to Wikipedia, she had been in a motorcycle accident in 1970 and became a recluse thereafter. She reappeared on the scene in 2003, but died in 2009 after a battle with cancer. (For more information, see en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lenore_Kandel)

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Rose/Vision..........................Lenore Kandel

Permit me the concept of the rose
the perfumed labyrinth
that leads one petal at a time
into oblivion’s heart

There are visions within the silence of the rose
Here in these velvet rooms accessible to dream
I open my eyes into darkness
until my vision / of itself / ignites the air
and I not only see but am all possibilities
of time and space and change
From which there is no place to hide, no season of serenity, no solid ground
and Mother Chaos grips my trembling hand
and with my fingers tears the veil from her head
and shows me my own pale face
against the sparkling void
and I am bereft of explanations

I am at the turning of the labyrinth
and there is only one direction
and it surrounds me
and I am at the turning of the labyrinth
and there is only one way to go

The rose contains infinity, I hold the rose
and walk within the velvet tunnels of its dream
there is no way to step or stand
and there is only one way to go

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The entire Word Alchemy book is available at books.google.com/books?id=5e0sb_6…hemy&f=false
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For more information, see Rocky J. Reuter's Web site at rreuter.wix.com/reutermusic
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Visions within the Silence  • Rocky J. Reuter, composer

The Interpretation of DREAMS (completed on January 13, 1994), for voice and 5 instrumentalists, has been performed by two relatively different types of ensembles: the first, an all-MIDI ensemble, and the second an early music ensemble; two groups that would seem to be on the opposite ends of the performance practice spectrum. It is also available for traditional string quartet and piano and could be played by any family of instruments plus a keyboard. The version heard here features vocalist Ian Howell with The Early Interval (of Columbus, OH), consisting of 4 viols and harpsichord, under the artistic direction of Ron Cook. The work is minimal in style, having been primarily influenced by the vocal music and additive/subtractive process of Philip Glass and the instrumental music of Michael Nyman, which often consists of driving rhythms and traditional triadic progressions. The text is a compilation of several quotes from various authors, with each quote being a comment on the subject of the dream.


Dr. Rocky J. Reuter (b. 1956) composes music for a vast array of acoustic and electronic ensembles in a myriad of styles, using varied and unique techniques. He is the recipient of numerous commissions nationally and internationally, has been recognized with funding from the National Endowment for the Arts, Meet the Composer, Ohio Arts Council Award for Excellence in Composition, and Greater Columbus Arts Council. Recent commissions have come from the Dubuque Symphony Orchestra and the Pi Kappa Lambda National Music Honor Society. His works have previously been featured at the Budapest Autumn Festival, Miscolz Arts Festival, Liszt Academy of Music, Hochschule für Musik in Dresden, Shen Yang Conservatory of Music in China; at international, national, and/or regional conferences of the Society of Composers, Society for Electro-Acoustic Music in the United States, College Music Society, National Association for Music Education, Association for Technology in Music Instruction, and Technology Institute for Music Educators; at state music education conventions in Wisconsin, Indiana, Georgia, and Ohio; and at university and contemporary music events throughout the nation. He has created original works in the electronic studios of the Dresden Hochschule für Musik and the Budapest National Radio at the invitation of the studio directors, and is the co-author of “Electronic Musical Instruments” in the book Technology Guide for Music Educators. Prior to his 30-year tenure as a professor and dean at Capital University Conservatory of Music, he also taught at the schools of music at James Madison University (MME) and The Ohio State University (DMA).

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For more information, see Rocky J. Reuter's Web site at rreuter.wix.com/reutermusic
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The Interpretation of DREAMS • Rocky J. Reuter, composer

She the gill singer, written in 1985, was commissioned and premiered by conductor/artistic director Maurice Casey and The Cantari Singers of Columbus (OH), a group that Casey founded. The chamber music of George Crumb served as the musical inspiration for this work, which is a setting of Lenore Kandel’s surreal "Emerald Poem," from her 1967 collection, "Word Alchemy." 

Harmonically based on a six-pitch cell [012367], individual images within the text are set using harmonic subsets, such as Z-cells [0167] for the various green images (emeralds, greenbreather, liquid green flowers), and Major-Minor Tetrachords [0347]. Male and female soloists sing challenging, disjunct melodies with wide, dissonant melodic skips. The accompanying instruments are all used to provide melodic, harmonic, and percussive effects throughout the piece. 

Kandel was a 1960s San Francisco beat poet whose works were very controversial because so many were explicitly sexual in nature. When I first sought permission to use a Kandel text, her publisher told me that she had disappeared in the mid-'70s. According to Wikipedia, she had been in a motorcycle accident in 1970 and became a recluse thereafter. She reappeared on the scene in 2003, but died in 2009 after a battle with cancer. (For more information, see en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lenore_Kandel) For whatever reason, seemingly lost to me now, I changed all occurrences of the word "I" to "She" and "my" to "her" when I set Kandel's poem—perhaps to eliminate the first-person references, thus making the text more applicable to us all.

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Emerald Poem..........................Lenore Kandel


there reaches a point without words
    safe   a point deep within the emerald
    seabright washes over eyes and tongue

frozen the stonebirds fly soft among my fingers
their tiny beaks tapping snowflakes from my thumb
               the color of emeralds
the solid becomes the liquid and I the greenbreather
I am at home among the nebulae
           in the heart of the emerald
    safe   a point without words
one is one and I the green breather          < this line accidentally omitted
           I the gill singer
oh the liquid green flowers that the small birds carry!
    they fade to lavender
        on my tongue
    they fade to lavender on my eyes
oh the stars that devour me in the heart of the emerald
        safe   in the flowers of the emerald
        safe   at the point without words

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The entire Word Alchemy book is available at books.google.com/books?id=5e0sb_6…hemy&f=false
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For more information, see Rocky J. Reuter's Web site at rreuter.wix.com/reutermusic
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She the gill singer • Rocky J. Reuter, composer

A Whole New Ball Game was commissioned for the inauguration of Dr. Daniel Felicetti, Capital University's 13th President. Having let it be known that his favorite song was "Take Me Out to the Ball Game," I proceeded to set the tune of the nation's pastime in a variety of styles — from Gregorian Chant to Stravinsky — all of which are annotated in the sound file. While listening, please have fun in the manner in which this work was intended — and eat some shelled peanuts! (By the way, Gregory Proctor — who translated the text for the chant — tells me there is no word for "peanut" in Latin!)


Dr. Rocky J. Reuter (b. 1956) composes music for a vast array of acoustic and electronic ensembles in a myriad of styles, using varied and unique techniques. He is the recipient of numerous commissions nationally and internationally, has been recognized with funding from the National Endowment for the Arts, Meet the Composer, Ohio Arts Council Award for Excellence in Composition, and Greater Columbus Arts Council. Recent commissions have come from the Dubuque Symphony Orchestra and the Pi Kappa Lambda National Music Honor Society. His works have previously been featured at the Budapest Autumn Festival, Miscolz Arts Festival, Liszt Academy of Music, Hochschule für Musik in Dresden, Shen Yang Conservatory of Music in China; at international, national, and/or regional conferences of the Society of Composers, Society for Electro-Acoustic Music in the United States, College Music Society, National Association for Music Education, Association for Technology in Music Instruction, and Technology Institute for Music Educators; at state music education conventions in Wisconsin, Indiana, Georgia, and Ohio; and at university and contemporary music events throughout the nation. He has created original works in the electronic studios of the Dresden Hochschule für Musik and the Budapest National Radio at the invitation of the studio directors, and is the co-author of “Electronic Musical Instruments” in the book Technology Guide for Music Educators. Prior to his 30-year tenure as a professor and dean at Capital University Conservatory of Music, he also taught at the schools of music at James Madison University (MME) and The Ohio State University (DMA).

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For more information, see Rocky J. Reuter's Web site at rreuter.wix.com/reutermusic
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A Whole New Ball Game • Rocky J. Reuter, composer

If you like Hey Little One, you might also like:
    • When You Wakeup — https://soundcloud.com/dr-rjreuter/when-you-wakeup
    • In a bed of hay He sleeps — https://soundcloud.com/dr-rjreuter/in-a-bed-of-hay-he-sleeps

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This song was written for my wife when we were dating, but it is not a love song. It was written to express what I believed her parents could not say to her at the time. It was sung by Ross Martin, the best man at our August 1974 wedding.

As our children have grown and matured, it has come to mean even more to us. It was sung at the wedding at our eldest son, RJ, and likely will be sung when our son Dustin takes the plunge.

I'm sure these words speak for the feelings of most parents as they see their children moving into this phase of their lives.


Dr. Rocky J. Reuter (b. 1956) composes music for a vast array of acoustic and electronic ensembles in a myriad of styles, using varied and unique techniques. He is the recipient of numerous commissions nationally and internationally, has been recognized with funding from the National Endowment for the Arts, Meet the Composer, Ohio Arts Council Award for Excellence in Composition, and Greater Columbus Arts Council. Recent commissions have come from the Dubuque Symphony Orchestra and the Pi Kappa Lambda National Music Honor Society. His works have previously been featured at the Budapest Autumn Festival, Miscolz Arts Festival, Liszt Academy of Music, Hochschule für Musik in Dresden, Shen Yang Conservatory of Music in China; at international, national, and/or regional conferences of the Society of Composers, Society for Electro-Acoustic Music in the United States, College Music Society, National Association for Music Education, Association for Technology in Music Instruction, and Technology Institute for Music Educators; at state music education conventions in Wisconsin, Indiana, Georgia, and Ohio; and at university and contemporary music events throughout the nation. He has created original works in the electronic studios of the Dresden Hochschule für Musik and the Budapest National Radio at the invitation of the studio directors, and is the co-author of “Electronic Musical Instruments” in the book Technology Guide for Music Educators. Prior to his 30-year tenure as a professor and dean at Capital University Conservatory of Music, he also taught at the schools of music at James Madison University (MME) and The Ohio State University (DMA).

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For more information, see Rocky J. Reuter's Web site at rreuter.wix.com/reutermusic
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Hey Little One • Rocky J. Reuter, composer

Parataxis was commissioned by Nicholas J. Perrini when he was the conductor of the Capital University/Bexley Community Orchestra. Having already commissioned several works that did not use the entire orchestra, it was time for a large-scale piece. I chose to write it for piano four-hands because the previous year I had met the Perotti-Dutt Dou, and was interested in writing for them. 

The titles of the work and movements present both a play on words and alliteration of the letter P:

     Parataxis =  from paratassein,  literally: to arrange side by side
          • two pianists side-by-side at the piano (Perotti-Dutt Duo)
          • pianists and conductor (Perrini) side-by-side
          • the pianists and the orchestra (Performers) side-by-side on the stage
          • the performers and the audience side-by-side in the hall

       I. Prolations
      II. Poltergeists — Puccini is the most prominent poltergeist
     III. Permutations

Prolations (an early system of notating meter and rhythms) concerns itself with metric modulation.

Poltergeists (ghosts) concerns itself with musical quotation particularly important to the conductor and the soloists.

     • Percussion used to transition from II to III.

Permutations (transformations of existing materials) develops musical ideas from the first two movements.

Harmonically and melodically, Parataxis is based on a hexachord [012367] (Forte 6-5), which, when inverted and transposed, can be combined with itself to create a 12-tone row (hexachordally combinatorial). While this is NOT a 12-tone composition, the row was used to generate melodic motives, melodies, and harmonies. The pianist play primarily on the keys, but occasionally venture into the piano to play directly on the strings.

This recording was made at the Premiere Performance during the 1995 NOW MUSIC Festival @ Capital University.


Dr. Rocky J. Reuter (b. 1956) composes music for a vast array of acoustic and electronic ensembles in a myriad of styles, using varied and unique techniques. He is the recipient of numerous commissions nationally and internationally, has been recognized with funding from the National Endowment for the Arts, Meet the Composer, Ohio Arts Council Award for Excellence in Composition, and Greater Columbus Arts Council. Recent commissions have come from the Dubuque Symphony Orchestra and the Pi Kappa Lambda National Music Honor Society. His works have previously been featured at the Budapest Autumn Festival, Miscolz Arts Festival, Liszt Academy of Music, Hochschule für Musik in Dresden, Shen Yang Conservatory of Music in China; at international, national, and/or regional conferences of the Society of Composers, Society for Electro-Acoustic Music in the United States, College Music Society, National Association for Music Education, Association for Technology in Music Instruction, and Technology Institute for Music Educators; at state music education conventions in Wisconsin, Indiana, Georgia, and Ohio; and at university and contemporary music events throughout the nation. He has created original works in the electronic studios of the Dresden Hochschule für Musik and the Budapest National Radio at the invitation of the studio directors, and is the co-author of “Electronic Musical Instruments” in the book Technology Guide for Music Educators. Prior to his 30-year tenure as a professor and dean at Capital University Conservatory of Music, he also taught at the schools of music at James Madison University (MME) and The Ohio State University (DMA).

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For more information, see Rocky J. Reuter's Web site at rreuter.wix.com/reutermusic
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Parataxis - Concerto for Piano Four-Hands and Orchestra • Rocky J. Reuter, composer

The Old Man in the Mountain was commissioned by Capital University for The Capital University/Bexley Community Orchestra, under the direction of Nicholas J. Perrini, was written in the last week of August, 1989, and was premiered on 11 February, 1990. The work is dedicated to the composer’s friends, Bill and Debbie Dougherty, and was inspired by a rock formation that protrudes from Canon Mountain in the White Mountain range in New Hampshire. Discovered in 1805, the natural formation resembled the profile of a weathered mountain man. Its image has appeared on the state seal of New Hampshire since 1945, and can be seen on the back of the New Hampshire "Live Free or Die" quarter. Unfortunately, the structure fell due to natural causes in 2003.

The opening section evokes the early light of dawn just as it reaches the mountain side, with lush harmonies representing the fog that shrouds the “old man.”  As the morning sun clears the fog from the mountain it is possible to see what appears to be an old man peaking out from behind wisping clouds. Suddenly the clouds break and a golden ray of sun shines on the face of the “guardian” who watches over the countryside. Then, as suddenly as he appeared, the “mountain man” disappears into the mountain atmosphere.
The faster B section is based on an original melody that resembles a folk tune, representing the presence of the “mountain man” at the time of the first settlers. The tune develops into a restless melody that represents the concerns of the “protector” regarding the effects of the modern world on the environment that he has guarded for uncounted millennia.

The concluding section is a variation of the initial material and evokes the onset of dusk as the wise “mountaineer” watches the final solar rays vanish over the horizon, leaving only the stark light of a crecsent moon.

The work is structured in a standard ternary (A-B-A') form and is based on tonal progressions that include a variety of extended harmonies. The A section functions as a “ıı—V” cadential structure leading to the B section, which begins in Bb minor and subsequently modulates through a common-tone augmented triad to C# minor. The closing section varies the material of the opening section. Mediant relationships play an important role in the work as is demonstrated by the keys of the B section and the extended use of an augmented triad. Additionally, most of the work’s cadences are deceptive (i.e., the dominant chord resolves to the mediant or submediant chord instead of resolving to the tonic chord).

The Old Man in the Mountain was commissioned to be premiered on a concert that also included Gustav Mahler’s Symphony No. 1. Tribute is paid to this wonderful composer by quoting the opening motive of the Mahler symphony during the conclusion of the central section of the work.

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For more information, see Rocky J. Reuter's Web site at rreuter.wix.com/reutermusic
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The Old Man in the Mountain • Rocky J. Reuter, composer

Lulylulow was written in anticipation of the birth of our first son, RJ (b.1986). While Judy was pregnant with RJ, she was featured as a soloist on Britten’s gorgeous Balulalow, which obviously inspired my title. However, it was the incredible experience of having a child that inspired this lullaby, which I believe is the most beautiful and emotional composition I’ve ever written. There will, undoubtedly, be a tear in my eye at the end of this song.

This recording is from a performance at the Kodály Institute of Music Pedagogy in Kecskemét, Hungary, and was performed by soprano Judy Reuter and pianist Daniel Kelly.

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Lulylulow .................................... Poem & Music by Rocky J. Reuter

Lulylulow my baby, Lulylulow my child.
You start so small, nearly fitting in my hand,
        and then before too long you learn to stand

Lulylulow my baby, Lulylulow my child.
You grow each day, and then begin to walk;
        you play and sleep and learn to talk

Lulylulow my baby, Lulylulow my child.
You cry all night, sometimes you cry all day;
        but that is music to my ears.	
And when you laugh, I laugh with you 
        and then you cry no more.
You sleep and play, just sleep, just sleep.

Lulylulow my baby, Lulylulow my child.
One day you’ll leave, but for now you’re mine to hold.
        Although it won’t be long until you’re old.

Lulylulow my baby, Lulylulow my child.
And when the time comes for you to move along,
        I hope that you’ll remember this special song.

Lulylulow my baby, Lulylulow my child.
Lulylulow my baby, Lulylulow my child.
        Lulylulow.

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For more information, see Rocky J. Reuter's Web site at rreuter.wix.com/reutermusic
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Lulylulow • Rocky J. Reuter, composer

In a bed of hay He sleeps was written in 1990 and was either performed by my wife, Judy, and me as a “living Christmas card” in the homes of our local friends, or was sent as a musical Christmas card to family and friends. Later, a Flügelhorn part for its first concert performance. This performance comes from my 1994 Faculty Composition Recital at Capital University (Columbus, OH) and features Judy singing, Tim Swinehart on flügel, and Pauly Swinehart on piano. May the best of the season be with you. Merry Christmas.

     In a bed of hay He sleeps.......Rocky Reuter

          A tender Newborn sleeps in the hay,
          His father guards o’r where He lay.
          His mother keeps Him warm through the night,
          The sheep and cattle close in tight.

          The infant King, so lovely,
          In a bed of hay He sleeps.	

          The shepherds gaze up into the night,
          The wise men travel t’wards the light.
          The infant Jesus, born for mankind,
          This Christmas may He give you peace of mind.

          The infant King, so lovely,
          In a bed of hay He sleeps.

Other Reuter Christmas arrangements and originals:

     • A Christmas Fantasy — https://soundcloud.com/dr-rjreuter/a-christmas-fantasy-very
     • Adeste Fideles — https://soundcloud.com/dr-rjreuter/adeste-fideles-o-rocky-j
     • The Holly and the Ivy — https://soundcloud.com/dr-rjreuter/the-holly-and-the-ivy-o-arr

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For more information, see Rocky J. Reuter's Web site at rreuter.wix.com/reutermusic
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In a bed of hay He sleeps • Rocky J. Reuter, composer

A video version, including score excerpts, is available here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oUiGstIzqSc

Fanspherical Flourishes, written in 1992, was commissioned for the Columbus Trumpet Consort by the Ohio Music Educators Association, and was premiered at the opening session of the 1992 OMEA State Convention. The title represents a combination of three words: “fanfare,” representing the purpose of the work; “atmospheric,” representing the “feel” of the piece; and “sphere,” representing the optional spatial placement of the performers around the perimeter of the performing space. This aggressively rhythmic miniature includes bitonal triadic clusters (scored for two opposing trios) and octatonic passages (scored for the full sextet). Fanspherical Flourishes is published by and available from TRIPLO Press or Alphonse Leduc — Robert King, Inc.

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For more information, see Rocky J. Reuter's Web site at rreuter.wix.com/reutermusic
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Fanspeherical Flourishes • Rocky J. Reuter, composer

“The Seven Last Words” generally refers to seven expressions uttered by Jesus during his crucifixion. While there are, according to biblical references, seven separate sayings, according to Luke 23:46, the actual last seven words are, “Into Your Hands I Commit My Spirit.” (Note that the composition is 7 minutes in length.)This is what I intend to evoke in this composition for 12-part trombone choir, which was written in 1993 and was premiered at a chapel service during NOW MUSIC Festival ’93 at Capital University (Columbus, OH).

The composition begins on a unison C, which is used as a pedal note for the duration of the composition. From there, the trombones begin a very gradual ascent in the upper parts, eventually filled in by the inner parts and gradually becoming more and more dissonant and tense right up until the moment of ascension:

 
• first as two parts (C & D) and (C & Eb)

• then as three (C-Eb-Ab) (C-Eb-G) (C-D-G) (C-D-F)  and  (C-Db-F)

• four (C-Eb-G-A) (C-Eb-G-Ab) (C-Eb-F-G) (C-Db-F-Ab) (C-D-F-G) (C-Eb-F-Ab) (C-D-F-Ab) (C-F-G-Bb) (C-Eb-Ab-Bb) (C-E-A-C) (C-F-A-C) (C-F-Ab-C) (C-Eb-Ab-C) (C-Eb-G-C) (C-F-G-C) and (C-F-Ab-Db)

• five (C-F-Ab-Bb-Db) (C-F-Gb-Bb-Db) (C-Eb-F-Bb-Db) (C-Eb-F-A-D) (C-Eb-G-Ab-C) and (C-F-G-Ab-Db)

• six (C-Eb-G-Bb-C-D) (C-Eb-G-A-C-D)  and (C-Eb-Gb-A-C-D)

• seven (C-Eb-Gb-A-B-D-F) (C-D-F-A-Bb-D-F) (C-Gb-Bb-Db-Eb-F-Ab)(C-G-Bb-Cb-D-Eb-Gb)(C-Eb-G-Bb-D-F-A) (C-Eb-G-Bb-D-F#-A) and (C-Eb-G-Bb-D-F#-B)

• nine (C-E-G-A-B-C#-D-F#-B) 

• ten (C-Eb-G-A-Bb-C#-Eb-F-A-C) (C-F#-Bb-B-C#-D-F-G-A-C)(C-G-A-Bb-D-Eb-F-F#-Ab-Db)

• twelve  (pedC-pedG-lowC-G-E-G-C-E-G-C-E)


Dr. Rocky J. Reuter (b. 1956) composes music for a vast array of acoustic and electronic ensembles in a myriad of styles, using varied and unique techniques. He is the recipient of numerous commissions nationally and internationally, has been recognized with funding from the National Endowment for the Arts, Meet the Composer, Ohio Arts Council Award for Excellence in Composition, and Greater Columbus Arts Council. Recent commissions have come from the Dubuque Symphony Orchestra and the Pi Kappa Lambda National Music Honor Society. His works have previously been featured at the Budapest Autumn Festival, Miscolz Arts Festival, Liszt Academy of Music, Hochschule für Musik in Dresden, Shen Yang Conservatory of Music in China; at international, national, and/or regional conferences of the Society of Composers, Society for Electro-Acoustic Music in the United States, College Music Society, National Association for Music Education, Association for Technology in Music Instruction, and Technology Institute for Music Educators; at state music education conventions in Wisconsin, Indiana, Georgia, and Ohio; and at university and contemporary music events throughout the nation. He has created original works in the electronic studios of the Dresden Hochschule für Musik and the Budapest National Radio at the invitation of the studio directors, and is the co-author of “Electronic Musical Instruments” in the book Technology Guide for Music Educators. Prior to his 30-year tenure as a professor and dean at Capital University Conservatory of Music, he also taught at the schools of music at James Madison University (MME) and The Ohio State University (DMA).

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For more information, see Rocky J. Reuter's Web site at rreuter.wix.com/reutermusic
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The Seven Last Words • Rocky J. Reuter

The first in a series of settings of writings by Christian Science founder Mary Baker Eddy. The series will likely expand to 10 or 12 works, which currently includes the following:
    LOVE
    Saw ye my Saviour?
    Feed My Sheep
    Christmas Morn
    Wish and Item

Love is a setting for soprano, violin, viola, and piano of Mary Baker Eddy's poem by the same name. It was commissioned by the International Convention of Christian Science Nurses and was premiered in May 2022 in Columbus, Ohio. This chamber setting is an adaptation of an original Christmas song composed in 1990; amazingly, the Eddy text flowed almost effortlessly into the composition as a replacement text, and the strings worked well as a replacement and embellishment of the Flügelhorn part in the original version.

Love – Mary Baker Eddy

Brood o'er us with Thy shelt'ring wing,
      'Neath which our spirits blend
    Like brother birds, that soar and sing,
      And on the same branch bend.
    The arrow that doth wound the dove
    Darts not from those who watch and love.

    If thou the bending reed wouldst break
      By thought or word unkind,
    Pray that his spirit you partake,
      Who loved and healed mankind:
    Seek holy thoughts and heavenly strain,
    That make men one in love remain.

    Learn, too, that wisdom's rod is given
      For faith to kiss, and know;
    That greetings glorious from high heaven,
      Whence joys supernal flow,
    Come from that Love, divinely near,
    Which chastens pride and earth-born fear,
    
    Through God, who gave that word of might
      Which swelled creation's lay:
    "Let there be light, and there was light."
      What chased the clouds away?
    'Twas Love whose finger traced aloud
    A bow of promise on the cloud.

    Thou to whose power our hope we give,
      Free us from human strife.
    Fed by Thy love divine we live,
      For Love alone is Life;
    And life most sweet, as heart to heart
    Speaks kindly when we meet and part.

Dr. Rocky J. Reuter (b. 1956) composes music for a vast array of acoustic and electronic ensembles in a myriad of styles, using varied and unique techniques. He is the recipient of numerous commissions nationally and internationally, has been recognized with funding from the National Endowment for the Arts, Meet the Composer, Ohio Arts Council Award for Excellence in Composition, and Greater Columbus Arts Council. Recent commissions have come from the Dubuque Symphony Orchestra and the Pi Kappa Lambda National Music Honor Society. His works have previously been featured at the Budapest Autumn Festival, Miscolz Arts Festival, Liszt Academy of Music, Hochschule für Musik in Dresden, Shen Yang Conservatory of Music in China; at international, national, and/or regional conferences of the Society of Composers, Society for Electro-Acoustic Music in the United States, College Music Society, National Association for Music Education, Association for Technology in Music Instruction, and Technology Institute for Music Educators; at state music education conventions in Wisconsin, Indiana, Georgia, and Ohio; and at university and contemporary music events throughout the nation. He has created original works in the electronic studios of the Dresden Hochschule für Musik and the Budapest National Radio at the invitation of the studio directors, and is the co-author of “Electronic Musical Instruments” in the book Technology Guide for Music Educators. Prior to his 30-year tenure as a professor and dean at Capital University Conservatory of Music, he also taught at the schools of music at James Madison University (MME) and The Ohio State University (DMA).

Love — Rocky J. Reuter, Composer

The Mysterious Cave, composed for trumpeter Tim Perdue, was written on March 31, 1989. The work was specifically designed to be played in an extremely live performance space with a long natural reverb time, thus creating the sonic experience of being in an actual cave. Anyone who ever played in Capital University's Mees Hall Auditorium — especially before the renovation in the late '90s — knows that it was the perfect space for this performance by student trumpeters Tim Perdue, David Sykes, and John Ontko, where they premiered it on March 30, 1989. Tim was on stage, while his colleagues were placed on either side of the rear balcony — unbeknownst to the audience. The mystery of the cave is not only it's unique echo-chamber effect, but its ability to warp and modulate the echo as it bounces off the cave walls.

The harmonic/melodic material of the work is primarily dependent upon [014] trichords (e.g., C–Eb–E) and [017] trichords (e.g., C–Db–G), plus their complementary combinations (e.g., C–Eb–E–G and C–G-Ab-Db). Using this basic harmonic material, the work includes spatial effects, improvisational passages, and jazz-influenced melodies.


Dr. Rocky J. Reuter (b. 1956) composes music for a vast array of acoustic and electronic ensembles in a myriad of styles, using varied and unique techniques. He is the recipient of numerous commissions nationally and internationally, has been recognized with funding from the National Endowment for the Arts, Meet the Composer, Ohio Arts Council Award for Excellence in Composition, and Greater Columbus Arts Council. Recent commissions have come from the Dubuque Symphony Orchestra and the Pi Kappa Lambda National Music Honor Society. His works have previously been featured at the Budapest Autumn Festival, Miscolz Arts Festival, Liszt Academy of Music, Hochschule für Musik in Dresden, Shen Yang Conservatory of Music in China; at international, national, and/or regional conferences of the Society of Composers, Society for Electro-Acoustic Music in the United States, College Music Society, National Association for Music Education, Association for Technology in Music Instruction, and Technology Institute for Music Educators; at state music education conventions in Wisconsin, Indiana, Georgia, and Ohio; and at university and contemporary music events throughout the nation. He has created original works in the electronic studios of the Dresden Hochschule für Musik and the Budapest National Radio at the invitation of the studio directors, and is the co-author of “Electronic Musical Instruments” in the book Technology Guide for Music Educators. Prior to his 30-year tenure as a professor and dean at Capital University Conservatory of Music, he also taught at the schools of music at James Madison University (MME) and The Ohio State University (DMA).
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For more information, see Rocky J. Reuter's Web site at rreuter.wix.com/reutermusic
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The Mysterious Cave • Rocky J. Reuter, composer

If you like the Duet for Horn and Tuba, you might also like:
    • Duet for Horn and Tuba — https://soundcloud.com/dr-rjreuter/duet-for-horn-and-tuba-o-rocky
  
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Duo for Trumpet and Trombone is a three-movement homage to Igor Stravinsky. 

This performance by trumpeter Timothy E. Swinehart and trombonist Joel Pugh, comes from my Spring 1994 Faculty Composition Recital.


Dr. Rocky J. Reuter (b. 1956) composes music for a vast array of acoustic and electronic ensembles in a myriad of styles, using varied and unique techniques. He is the recipient of numerous commissions nationally and internationally, has been recognized with funding from the National Endowment for the Arts, Meet the Composer, Ohio Arts Council Award for Excellence in Composition, and Greater Columbus Arts Council. Recent commissions have come from the Dubuque Symphony Orchestra and the Pi Kappa Lambda National Music Honor Society. His works have previously been featured at the Budapest Autumn Festival, Miscolz Arts Festival, Liszt Academy of Music, Hochschule für Musik in Dresden, Shen Yang Conservatory of Music in China; at international, national, and/or regional conferences of the Society of Composers, Society for Electro-Acoustic Music in the United States, College Music Society, National Association for Music Education, Association for Technology in Music Instruction, and Technology Institute for Music Educators; at state music education conventions in Wisconsin, Indiana, Georgia, and Ohio; and at university and contemporary music events throughout the nation. He has created original works in the electronic studios of the Dresden Hochschule für Musik and the Budapest National Radio at the invitation of the studio directors, and is the co-author of “Electronic Musical Instruments” in the book Technology Guide for Music Educators. Prior to his 30-year tenure as a professor and dean at Capital University Conservatory of Music, he also taught at the schools of music at James Madison University (MME) and The Ohio State University (DMA).

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For more information, see Rocky J. Reuter's Web site at rreuter.wix.com/reutermusic
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DUO For Trumpet and Trombone • Rocky J. Reuter, composer

Written in 1981 as a vocalise (song without words) for coloratura soprano and guitar, Chanson de l'Ange was composed for and premiered by Judy A. Reuter — an angelic composition for an angelic voice.

This recording comes from the premiere performance— Judy's James Madison University graduation recital, accompanied by guitarist Pete Miller.

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For more information, see Rocky J. Reuter's Web site at rreuter.wix.com/reutermusic
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Chanson de l'Ange (The Angel's Song) • Rocky J. Reuter, composer

Earth-Song, commissioned by the Wood County Music Educators Association for their 1984 Wood County Festival Band and Chorus, was written between January 15 and February 15 of 1984. I didn't realize it until after the premiere, but the piece was obviously influenced by Karel Husa's great Apotheosis of This Earth (1970)[listen here — https://soundcloud.com/concertbandsymposium/karel-husa-apotheosis-of-this], which I unexpectedly heard in 1974 when I was 18. I say "unexpectedly" because I had just finished performing on trombone with the Wisconsin All-State Orchestra. After we played, the WI All-State Band took the stage and I sat out in the large auditorium alone. It was, generally, a typical band concert — until they played Apotheosis! The conductor directed the piece from memory (I was wowed), but the piece left me absolutely floored. I had no idea music like that existed, and it changed my life. When I composed Earth-Song, I hadn't heard Apotheosis for years; yet, it had obviously left its indelible mark on my creative mind. Fortunately, I had the opportunity to tell Karel that story when, in 1989, I brought him in as Composer-in-Residence for NOW MUSIC Festival @ Capital University (Columbus, OH), a festival that I founded in 1987..

Earth-Song opens with a brass and percussion fanfare that begins on the pitch “C” and gradually expands to include a six-pitch collection that forms the harmonic basis of the work: C-G#-B-D-G-C# (as it is often heard in pyramiding chords). Following the fanfare is a rather short, dense contrapuntal section that continues to develop the opening C-C#-B motive. At the climax of the first major section, the performers are instructed to improvise on given pitch collections that continue to develop the opening motive. 

The second section of the piece focuses on the choral ensemble, with the instrumentalists providing a background of sustained “earth sounds” — an aural fabric that includes night noises (crickets and other insects) and occasional melodic interludes. The text (printed below) was written by me in 1983 and was originally set for soprano and string quartet. Earth-Song, however, bears no musical resemblance to that first setting, and is intended to evoke a solemn and apocalyptic view of the earth planet. 

This recording features the Capital University Wind Symphony and Chapel Choir under the baton of Timothy E. Swinehart, who was a champion of my music.    
 
  
     Earth-Song ............................... Rocky J. Reuter

          in the still of the silent ev’ning
               i hear the breath of the world;
                    i hear the tears of the people,
                         the silence of the falling snow.

          i feel the sun as it sets
               for it burns the skin of the earth.
                    the moon is cold as ice
                         as it stares at my loneliness.

          and all is nothing but an image
               in my mind where…
                    in the still of the silent ev’ning
                         i hear the breath of the world.

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For more information, see Rocky J. Reuter's Web site at rreuter.wix.com/reutermusic
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Earth–Song • Rocky J. Reuter, composer

Contredanse is an old-school, noisy, elctro-acoustic composition for Trombone and The ARP 2600 Synthesizer. The term "contredanse" refers to a dance form from the late 17th century in France that involved groups of couples arranged in long paired lines. The couples interact with and adjacent couple, then repeat the same dance with the next couple, and so on.

The electronic score was realized in the electronic studio of the University of Wisconsin–Platteville in about 1976 using Dr. Rosemary Clarke's personal ARP 2600 and an open-reel quarter-inch tape machine. Once the electronics were on tape, I notated the motivic and melodic elements and created a dialogue/dance between the ARP and the Trombone. As with many of my compositions, there is a focus on intervals of a major seventh and the tritone. The musical score is completely written out, and features traditional notation for the trombone and the melodic elements of the electronics, as well as graphic notation for much of the electronics.

This performance was recorded during a Composers Workshop concert in Weigel Hall at The Ohio State University, while I was working on my doctorate in the early 1980s.

My other electronic works from the mid-'70s include the following:

     • Danse of the Red Headed Turkey Buzzard (https://soundcloud.com/dr-rjreuter/dance-of-the-red-headed-turkey)

     • First Communication (https://soundcloud.com/dr-rjreuter/first-communication-o-rocky-j)

     • Voice from Out of Nowhere (https://soundcloud.com/dr-rjreuter/voice-from-out-of-nowhere-o)

     • Breakfast Dialogue (with Argument) (https://soundcloud.com/dr-rjreuter/breakfast-dialogue-with)

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For more information, see Rocky J. Reuter's Web site at rreuter.wix.com/reutermusic
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Contredanse • Rocky J. Reuter, composer/trombonist

Burning Giraffes: In Memoriam Salvador Dalí
    by Rocky J. Reuter (b.1956)

Video version: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bf7IcjTQB6k&feature=youtu.be

Audio from the live performance in 1992 at Butler University:

          I. Introduction: “…logical intuition.” [no audio]
         II. Of Drawers and Crutches • Painting:
                https://www.pinterest.co.uk/pin/433612270363138196/    
        III. Night-Moon Music • Drawing:
                http://thebrainpolice.blogspot.com/2012/02/giraffes-on-horseback-salad.html
        IV. The Monsters of War • Painting:
                http://fr.wahooart.com/@@/9H5Q2S-Salvador-Dali-Inventions-dal%C3%AD-de-l-monstres-,-huile-sur-toile-,-art-en


Burning Giraffes: In Memoriam Salvador Dalí, a four-movement multi-media work for amplified viola, computer-controlled synthesizers, and computer-controlled slide projectors, was commissioned and premiered in 1990 by violist Kay Slocum. The work was supported in part by a Capital University Faculty Development Grant, and was primarily responsible for a Greater Columbus Arts Council (GCAC) Individual Artist Fellowship in Composition being awarded to the composer in 1992. The work has been performed at contemporary music events throughout the United States and has been seen in its video version on numerous US campuses and in Europe.

Rather than being a concerto for viola and electronic instruments, Burning Giraffes integrates the live performance of the violist with the sounds of the synthesizers, including both sampled and synthesized timbres, in such a way that it is difficult to tell the two apart at times. The visual presentation consists of approximately 240 slides taken from three 1937 visual works by Salvador Dalí: The Burning Giraffe (oil on wood), Dinner in the Desert Lighted by Giraffes on Fire (charcoal), and The Invention of Monsters (oil on panel).

The work begins with an unaccompanied visual introduction that serves as an homage to Dalí, followed by a musical introduction that gradually builds the motive that permeates the entire work (represented below on two lines to represent large melodic skips):

            C - Bb       Ab - Gb       F - Eb
                      \   /             \   /          \
                        C                 A               E

The musical introduction is accompanied by brief glimpses of sections of all three paintings. Three movements follow, each exploring in detail one of the Dalí paintings and developing the musical motive of the introduction. The work concludes with another collage of all three paintings and the simultaneous presentation of several musical ideas used throughout the composition.

The pitches of the motive are gradually introduced during the each of the formal sections while the accompanying harmony consists primarily of pitches extracted from the motive. The viola part is treated as a solo part at times and as accompaniment to the electronic music at times, but is totally reliant upon the motive throughout the work.
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For more information, see Rocky J. Reuter's Web site at rreuter.wix.com/reutermusic
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Burning Giraffes:  In Memoriam Salvador Dalí • Rocky J. Reuter, composer

The Devil's Garden was written in the mid-1970s while I was an undergraduate music education major at the University of Wisconsin–Platteville. My trombone teacher, Tom Richards, was a tremendous inspiration to me as both a jazz player and an arranger/composer who supported me as both an arranger and composer. 

The piece is a simple three-part form, slow-fast-slow, and concentrates on cluster harmony. This recording is by Marty Bush, Terry Dillon, Monte Mueller and me from one of my undergraduate composition recitals.



Dr. Rocky J. Reuter (b. 1956) composes music for a vast array of acoustic and electronic ensembles in a myriad of styles, using varied and unique techniques. He is the recipient of numerous commissions nationally and internationally, has been recognized with funding from the National Endowment for the Arts, Meet the Composer, Ohio Arts Council Award for Excellence in Composition, and Greater Columbus Arts Council. Recent commissions have come from the Dubuque Symphony Orchestra and the Pi Kappa Lambda National Music Honor Society. His works have previously been featured at the Budapest Autumn Festival, Miscolz Arts Festival, Liszt Academy of Music, Hochschule für Musik in Dresden, Shen Yang Conservatory of Music in China; at international, national, and/or regional conferences of the Society of Composers, Society for Electro-Acoustic Music in the United States, College Music Society, National Association for Music Education, Association for Technology in Music Instruction, and Technology Institute for Music Educators; at state music education conventions in Wisconsin, Indiana, Georgia, and Ohio; and at university and contemporary music events throughout the nation. He has created original works in the electronic studios of the Dresden Hochschule für Musik and the Budapest National Radio at the invitation of the studio directors, and is the co-author of “Electronic Musical Instruments” in the book Technology Guide for Music Educators. Prior to his 30-year tenure as a professor and dean at Capital University Conservatory of Music, he also taught at the schools of music at James Madison University (MME) and The Ohio State University (DMA).
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For more information, see Rocky J. Reuter's Web site at rreuter.wix.com/reutermusic
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The Devil's Garden • Rocky J. Reuter, composer

Theme and Variations was commissioned by Trombonist/Professor Joseph Duchi for The Ohio State University Trombone Choir, and is heard here in its premiere performance from the early 1980s.

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For more information, see Rocky J. Reuter's Web site at rreuter.wix.com/reutermusic
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Dr. Rocky J. Reuter (b. 1956) composes music for a vast array of acoustic and electronic ensembles in a myriad of styles, using varied and unique techniques. He is the recipient of numerous commissions nationally and internationally, has been recognized with funding from the National Endowment for the Arts, Meet the Composer, Ohio Arts Council Award for Excellence in Composition, and Greater Columbus Arts Council. Recent commissions have come from the Dubuque Symphony Orchestra and the Pi Kappa Lambda National Music Honor Society. His works have previously been featured at the Budapest Autumn Festival, Miscolz Arts Festival, Liszt Academy of Music, Hochschule für Musik in Dresden, Shen Yang Conservatory of Music in China; at international, national, and/or regional conferences of the Society of Composers, Society for Electro-Acoustic Music in the United States, College Music Society, National Association for Music Education, Association for Technology in Music Instruction, and Technology Institute for Music Educators; at state music education conventions in Wisconsin, Indiana, Georgia, and Ohio; and at university and contemporary music events throughout the nation. He has created original works in the electronic studios of the Dresden Hochschule für Musik and the Budapest National Radio at the invitation of the studio directors, and is the co-author of “Electronic Musical Instruments” in the book Technology Guide for Music Educators. Prior to his 30-year tenure as a professor and dean at Capital University Conservatory of Music, he also taught at the schools of music at James Madison University (MME) and The Ohio State University (DMA).

Theme and Variations • Rocky J. Reuter, composer

A video performance by Butler University Wind Ensemble is also available at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZMATsT1zw9w .

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For more information, see Rocky J. Reuter's Web site at rreuter.wix.com/reutermusic
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Trumpets Eternally Sounding was commissioned by the Ohio Private Colleges Instrumental Conductors Association (OPCICA) in celebration of the life of Timothy E. Swinehart. Tim was a co-founder of OPCICA, and Nancy Ditmer conducted the premiere of TES with the OPCICA Honor Band.

Timothy E. Swinehart was a good man. I met him in 1986, when I was hired at Capital University. As director of bands at Capital, Tim asked me to write a composition for band each and every year. For the years that I could not fulfill his wish, he played a piece I had previously written. Most of my mature band works were premiered under his baton.

Beyond our close musical relationship, Tim and his family were very close to our family. In fact, my wife and I asked Tim and his wife to be Godparents to our second son, Dustin. And our entire family was present within Tim’s last hours on this earth.

Tim suffered with years of neck and back pain, yet he conducted and played trumpet. Finally, he succumbed to the cancer that invaded his body. He left behind a wife, two sons, a mother, a father, a brother, a host of friends and acquaintances, and more devoted former students and musical colleagues than can be counted. TES will be missed by all. Rest in Peace dear friend.

This recording was made April 3, 2011, by the Butler Wind Ensemble under the baton of Dr. Robert Grechesky.


Dr. Rocky J. Reuter (b. 1956) composes music for a vast array of acoustic and electronic ensembles in a myriad of styles, using varied and unique techniques. He is the recipient of numerous commissions nationally and internationally, has been recognized with funding from the National Endowment for the Arts, Meet the Composer, Ohio Arts Council Award for Excellence in Composition, and Greater Columbus Arts Council. Recent commissions have come from the Dubuque Symphony Orchestra and the Pi Kappa Lambda National Music Honor Society. His works have previously been featured at the Budapest Autumn Festival, Miscolz Arts Festival, Liszt Academy of Music, Hochschule für Musik in Dresden, Shen Yang Conservatory of Music in China; at international, national, and/or regional conferences of the Society of Composers, Society for Electro-Acoustic Music in the United States, College Music Society, National Association for Music Education, Association for Technology in Music Instruction, and Technology Institute for Music Educators; at state music education conventions in Wisconsin, Indiana, Georgia, and Ohio; and at university and contemporary music events throughout the nation. He has created original works in the electronic studios of the Dresden Hochschule für Musik and the Budapest National Radio at the invitation of the studio directors, and is the co-author of “Electronic Musical Instruments” in the book Technology Guide for Music Educators. Prior to his 30-year tenure as a professor and dean at Capital University Conservatory of Music, he also taught at the schools of music at James Madison University (MME) and The Ohio State University (DMA).

Trumpets Eternally Sounding • Rocky J. Reuter, composer

dreaming … Impatiently dreaming
Movement III

Rocky Reuter was chosen as the winner of the Pi Kappa Lambda 2022 Chamber Music Commission by the PKL Regents following submissions by composers nominated nationally by PKL chapters. Examples of past chamber compositions were submitted by each composers, with one chosen to create a new work.

dreaming … Impatiently dreaming, which sets a poem by Chris Becker, is the result of the commission. The work is set for soprano, keyboards, percussion (2), and string quartet. This MIDI representation — like most — lacks nuance, and the test that is spoken by the vocalist and instrumentalists is here represented by a tambourine. The work's premiere is scheduled for September 23 at the PKL/CMS/ATMI/NACWPL 2022 National Convention in Long Beach, CA.

Past winners of the PKL Commission project have included Michael Schelle, Jennifer Higdon, Tayloe Harding, Cindy McTee, Peter Hamlin, Cynthia Folio, and Mark Philips, among others.

Dr. Rocky J. Reuter (b. 1956) composes music for a vast array of acoustic and electronic ensembles in a myriad of styles, using varied and unique techniques. He is the recipient of numerous commissions nationally and internationally, has been recognized with funding from the National Endowment for the Arts, Meet the Composer, Ohio Arts Council Award for Excellence in Composition, and Greater Columbus Arts Council. Recent commissions have come from the Dubuque Symphony Orchestra and the Pi Kappa Lambda National Music Honor Society. His works have previously been featured at the Budapest Autumn Festival, Miscolz Arts Festival, Liszt Academy of Music, Hochschule für Musik in Dresden, Shen Yang Conservatory of Music in China; at international, national, and/or regional conferences of the Society of Composers, Society for Electro-Acoustic Music in the United States, College Music Society, National Association for Music Education, Association for Technology in Music Instruction, and Technology Institute for Music Educators; at state music education conventions in Wisconsin, Indiana, Georgia, and Ohio; and at university and contemporary music events throughout the nation. He has created original works in the electronic studios of the Dresden Hochschule für Musik and the Budapest National Radio at the invitation of the studio directors, and is the co-author of “Electronic Musical Instruments” in the book Technology Guide for Music Educators. Prior to his 30-year tenure as a professor and dean at Capital University Conservatory of Music, he also taught at the schools of music at James Madison University (MME) and The Ohio State University (DMA).

dreaming … Impatiently dreaming - Mvmt III

dreaming … Impatiently dreaming
Movement II

Rocky Reuter was chosen as the winner of the Pi Kappa Lambda 2022 Chamber Music Commission by the PKL Regents following submissions by composers nominated nationally by PKL chapters. Examples of past chamber compositions were submitted by each composers, with one chosen to create a new work.

dreaming … Impatiently dreaming, which sets a poem by Chris Becker, is the result of the commission. The work is set for soprano, keyboards, percussion (2), and string quartet. This MIDI representation — like most — lacks nuance, and the test that is spoken by the vocalist and instrumentalists is here represented by a tambourine. The work's premiere is scheduled for September 23 at the PKL/CMS/ATMI/NACWPL 2022 National Convention in Long Beach, CA.

Past winners of the PKL Commission project have included Michael Schelle, Jennifer Higdon, Tayloe Harding, Cindy McTee, Peter Hamlin, Cynthia Folio, and Mark Philips, among others.

Dr. Rocky J. Reuter (b. 1956) composes music for a vast array of acoustic and electronic ensembles in a myriad of styles, using varied and unique techniques. He is the recipient of numerous commissions nationally and internationally, has been recognized with funding from the National Endowment for the Arts, Meet the Composer, Ohio Arts Council Award for Excellence in Composition, and Greater Columbus Arts Council. Recent commissions have come from the Dubuque Symphony Orchestra and the Pi Kappa Lambda National Music Honor Society. His works have previously been featured at the Budapest Autumn Festival, Miscolz Arts Festival, Liszt Academy of Music, Hochschule für Musik in Dresden, Shen Yang Conservatory of Music in China; at international, national, and/or regional conferences of the Society of Composers, Society for Electro-Acoustic Music in the United States, College Music Society, National Association for Music Education, Association for Technology in Music Instruction, and Technology Institute for Music Educators; at state music education conventions in Wisconsin, Indiana, Georgia, and Ohio; and at university and contemporary music events throughout the nation. He has created original works in the electronic studios of the Dresden Hochschule für Musik and the Budapest National Radio at the invitation of the studio directors, and is the co-author of “Electronic Musical Instruments” in the book Technology Guide for Music Educators. Prior to his 30-year tenure as a professor and dean at Capital University Conservatory of Music, he also taught at the schools of music at James Madison University (MME) and The Ohio State University (DMA).

dreaming … Impatiently Dreaming Mvmt II

dreaming … Impatiently dreaming
Movement I

Rocky Reuter was chosen as the winner of the Pi Kappa Lambda 2022 Chamber Music Commission by the PKL Regents following submissions by composers nominated nationally by PKL chapters. Examples of past chamber compositions were submitted by each composers, with one chosen to create a new work.

dreaming … Impatiently dreaming, which sets a poem by Chris Becker, is the result of the commission. The work is set for soprano, keyboards, percussion (2), and string quartet. This MIDI representation — like most — lacks nuance, and the test that is spoken by the vocalist and instrumentalists is here represented by a tambourine. The work's premiere is scheduled for September 23 at the PKL/CMS/ATMI/NACWPL 2022 National Convention in Long Beach, CA.

Past winners of the PKL Commission project have included Michael Schelle, Jennifer Higdon, Tayloe Harding, Cindy McTee, Peter Hamlin, Cynthia Folio, and Mark Philips, among others.

Dr. Rocky J. Reuter (b. 1956) composes music for a vast array of acoustic and electronic ensembles in a myriad of styles, using varied and unique techniques. He is the recipient of numerous commissions nationally and internationally, has been recognized with funding from the National Endowment for the Arts, Meet the Composer, Ohio Arts Council Award for Excellence in Composition, and Greater Columbus Arts Council. Recent commissions have come from the Dubuque Symphony Orchestra and the Pi Kappa Lambda National Music Honor Society. His works have previously been featured at the Budapest Autumn Festival, Miscolz Arts Festival, Liszt Academy of Music, Hochschule für Musik in Dresden, Shen Yang Conservatory of Music in China; at international, national, and/or regional conferences of the Society of Composers, Society for Electro-Acoustic Music in the United States, College Music Society, National Association for Music Education, Association for Technology in Music Instruction, and Technology Institute for Music Educators; at state music education conventions in Wisconsin, Indiana, Georgia, and Ohio; and at university and contemporary music events throughout the nation. He has created original works in the electronic studios of the Dresden Hochschule für Musik and the Budapest National Radio at the invitation of the studio directors, and is the co-author of “Electronic Musical Instruments” in the book Technology Guide for Music Educators. Prior to his 30-year tenure as a professor and dean at Capital University Conservatory of Music, he also taught at the schools of music at James Madison University (MME) and The Ohio State University (DMA).

dreaming … Impatiently dreaming - Mvmt I

PROGRAM for the PKL/CMS Premiere in Long Beech CA on September 24, 2022:

The Precipice of Anticipation was commissioned by Pi Kappa Lambda (PKL) following a national call for recommendations from PKL members and selection by its Board of Regents. Given the past recipients of the Chamber Music Commission, I am honored to join this prestigious group of colleagues.

Reflecting on a long career in education and the creative arts (and currently serving as president of a Home Owners Association), it seems we often find ourselves on a precipice with two possible choices: use our hard-earned skills to navigate the many potential risks of the journey, or cloister and avoid the dangers altogether. I have always jumped in and chosen the former; and so far, I’ve managed to survive. But it’s the anticipation that we must deal with — the constant “what-ifs” of what might happen — once the decision has been made, not to mention the unpredictable dangers of national or international events, such as pandemics and wars.

The A sections of this ternary composition present the uncertainty of the journey; a gradual unfolding of a pathway we must inevitably traverse, making various decisions along the way. The B section represents a feeling of relief, when it seems everything is “smooth sailing.” But doubts reappear at the recapitulation, which will require more decisions to reach a triumphant and successful conclusion. This is a good description of the journey taken to arrive at this premiere performance: there were many twists and turns and cliffs along the way; but here we are, anticipating a successful ending of this unique journey.

Dr. Rocky J. Reuter (b. 1956) composes music for a vast array of acoustic and electronic ensembles in a myriad of styles, using varied and unique techniques. He is the recipient of numerous commissions nationally and internationally, has been recognized with funding from the National Endowment for the Arts, Meet the Composer, Ohio Arts Council Award for Excellence in Composition, and Greater Columbus Arts Council. Recent commissions have come from the Dubuque Symphony Orchestra and the Pi Kappa Lambda National Music Honor Society. His works have previously been featured at the Budapest Autumn Festival, Miscolz Arts Festival, Liszt Academy of Music, Hochschule für Musik in Dresden, Shen Yang Conservatory of Music in China; at international, national, and/or regional conferences of the Society of Composers, Society for Electro-Acoustic Music in the United States, College Music Society, National Association for Music Education, Association for Technology in Music Instruction, and Technology Institute for Music Educators; at state music education conventions in Wisconsin, Indiana, Georgia, and Ohio; and at university and contemporary music events throughout the nation. He has created original works in the electronic studios of the Dresden Hochschule für Musik and the Budapest National Radio at the invitation of the studio directors, and is the co-author of “Electronic Musical Instruments” in the book Technology Guide for Music Educators. Prior to his 30-year tenure as a professor and dean at Capital University Conservatory of Music, he also taught at the schools of music at James Madison University (MME) and The Ohio State University (DMA). For more information, please visit https://rreuter.wixsite.com/reutermusic

The Precipice of Anticipation • Rocky J. Reuter, Composer

Written and recorded live in concert in approximately 1979, The Room Above The Square, a setting of the poem (see below) by Stephen Spender, was composed for Sandra Cryder (voice), Carol Kniebusch (flute), and John Cryder, all of whom were professors at the James Madison University Music Department while I was working on my Master's degree.


The Room Above The Square — Stephen Spender

The light in the window seemed perpetual
When you stayed in the high room for me;
It glowed above the trees through leaves
Like my uncertainty.

The light is fallen and you are hidden
In sunbright peninsulas of the sword:
Torn like leaves through Europe is the peace
That through us flowed.

Now I climb up alone to the high room
Above the darkened square
Where among stones and roots, the other
Unshattered lovers are. 


Dr. Rocky J. Reuter (b. 1956) composes music for a vast array of acoustic and electronic ensembles in a myriad of styles, using varied and unique techniques. He is the recipient of numerous commissions nationally and internationally, has been recognized with funding from the National Endowment for the Arts, Meet the Composer, Ohio Arts Council Award for Excellence in Composition, and Greater Columbus Arts Council. Recent commissions have come from the Dubuque Symphony Orchestra and the Pi Kappa Lambda National Music Honor Society. His works have previously been featured at the Budapest Autumn Festival, Miscolz Arts Festival, Liszt Academy of Music, Hochschule für Musik in Dresden, Shen Yang Conservatory of Music in China; at international, national, and/or regional conferences of the Society of Composers, Society for Electro-Acoustic Music in the United States, College Music Society, National Association for Music Education, Association for Technology in Music Instruction, and Technology Institute for Music Educators; at state music education conventions in Wisconsin, Indiana, Georgia, and Ohio; and at university and contemporary music events throughout the nation. He has created original works in the electronic studios of the Dresden Hochschule für Musik and the Budapest National Radio at the invitation of the studio directors, and is the co-author of “Electronic Musical Instruments” in the book Technology Guide for Music Educators. Prior to his 30-year tenure as a professor and dean at Capital University Conservatory of Music, he also taught at the schools of music at James Madison University (MME) and The Ohio State University (DMA).
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For more information, see Rocky J. Reuter's Web site at rreuter.wix.com/reutermusic
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The Room Above The Square • Rocky J. Reuter, Composer

Written in 2001 with a dual premiere at NOW MUSIC Festival @ Capital University and the ATMI International Conference in Canada, Lost Continent (for Soprano, MIDI Wind Controller, and MIDI Keyboards) was written for the Capital University Faculty MIDI Duo: Michael Cox and Mark Lochstampfor, with special guest vocalist Judy Reuter.

Lost Continent • Rocky J. Reuter, Composer

Hiroshima was written for the Capital University MIDI Band (Rocky Reuter, Founder), the first collegiate credited all-MIDI performance ensemble in America. This eclectic jazz-rock piece moves between the Octatonic and Funk worlds, and this recording comes from a live concert.

Hiroshima • Rocky J. Reuter, Composer

This set of five songs for voice and piano was composed for my sons RJ and Dustin when they were quite young and for my theory students at the Capital University Conservatory of Music to demonstrate modes and odd meters:

    1.  Lydian Lullabye (for RJ; Lydian mode, duple meter)
    2. Three-Legged Dog (Phrigian mode, odd meter = 7)
    3. Clip, Clip-A-Clip, Clop (Dorian mode, triple meter)
    4. Lop Leg'd Tex (Mixolydian modr, off meter = 5)
    5. A Dusty Lullaby (for Dustin; Ionian mode, triple meter)

Performed here by soprano Snadra Mathias and pianist India Dennis.

Songs My Children Taught Me • Rocky J. Reuter, Composer

Cello Song was written in 1980 during my studies as a Masters student at James Madison University (Harrisonburg, VA). This three-movement work for unaccompanied cello includes traditional and contemporary techniques. This performance is by my colleague Nancy Moore (Capital University Conservatory of Music).
        1. Prelude
       2. Paths
       3. Epilogue
Paths consists of a series of boxed musical passages connected by lines that provide the performer options, ultimately determining the form of the movement, with the exception that end of the notated page includes the directions D.C., D.S., D.S.S., and Coda to be sure certain boxed passages are performed.

Cello Song • Rocky J. Reuter, Composer

Emissivity II (4.14-15.97) was commissioned by Joseph Ducci, Professor of Trombone and Director of The Ohio State University Trombone Choir, and premiered at the 1997 Convention of the International Trombone Association.

"Emissivity" refers to the ability of a surface to emit radiant energy. Like its predecessors, Theme and Variations (also for the OSUTC) and Emissivity I (a work for trombone, piano, and 4 off-stage trombones, also written for Joseph Ducci), the harmonies are based on a six-pitch cell: C, G#, B, D, G, and C# and it's transpositions and inversions.

Emissivity II • Rocky J. Reuter, Composer

Composed for my children and for The Columbus Children's Choir (Sandra Mathias, Founder), this recording of three of the songs comes from my 1999 Faculty Composition Recital at Capital University.

The performance was a planned encore: My wife Judy and I performed after our sons RJ (8) and Dustin (4) moved a rocking chair onto the stage, then sat at my feet.

The Dragons Are Singing Tonight (Excerpts) • Rocky J. Reuter, Composer

Originally written for my children and theory students, this recording is by the Columbus Childrens Choir, Sandra Matias Founder and Conductor, from a 1997 performance at NOW MUSIC Festival @ Capital University (Rocky J. Reuter, Founder and Director).

Songs My Children Taught Me (CCC) • Rocky J. Reiter, Composer

Sea the Sea is one movement from a suite commissioned by conductor William Boggs for The Ohio State University Womens Choir. This performance is from a 1997 concert at NOW MUSIC Festival @ Capital University (Rocky J. Reuter, Founder) by The Columbus Childrens Choir under the direction of Sandra Mathias, Founder.

See Th Sea (CCC) • Rocky J. Reuter, Composer

Alleluia!, originally composed in 2002 for The Early Interval of Columbus (OH), was revised in 2015, and was arranged and revised in 2024 for the Capital University Chapel Choir to receive its first performance at the 2025 Now Music Festival @ Capital University. It is represented here as a MIDI sound file. The text is simply "A-le-lu-ia" repeated with each 4-note pattern, whether sequential or a rearticulated 4-part chord.

The composition is in the so-called Minimalist style, consisting of a modicum of material: first a single pitch, then a second, third and fourth, creating a single motive that gradually develops both harmonically and metrically throughout the entire piece.

2024 Version — choir and modern strings and percussion
    • SATB
    • Handbells, two Glockenspiel
    • Sleigh Bells, and Xylophone).
    • Violin, Viola, and Violoncello

2022/2015 Version — solo female voices and early strings and percussion:
    • SSAA
    • Cup Bells, Hurdy-gurdy
    • Jingles, Finger Cymbals, Strohfiedel ("straw-fiddle) – a predecessor to the xylophone
    • Tenor and Bass Viol

Alleluia•SATB• Rocky J. Reuter, Composer

This MIDI file represents a quintet that I composed in 1998 on a commission from Capital University for the opening of the renovated Kerns Religious Life Center. Although it has bee performed live many times, I do not currently have a good live recording.

Suite for a New Awakening • Rocky J. Reuter, Composer

Temporary MIDI file of a piece written in the style of Scriabin's late "Mystic Chord" preludes, which was written in the early 1980s during my doctoral studies at The Ohio State University.

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For more information, see Rocky J. Reuter's Web site at rreuter.wix.com/reutermusic
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Prelude (Homage Scriabin)• Rocky J. Reuter, Composer

This is a MIDI rendering of this composition, which was written for the Early Interval — Ron Cook, Artistic Director, Columbus, OH. 

The live recording from The 30th Annual NOW MUSIC Festival @ Capital University (2016) can be heard at https://soundcloud.com/dr-rjreuter/alleluia-rocky-j-reuter-composer

There is also a 2003 NMF@CU recording of the premiere performance, but I can't find it.

Once the vocalists begin, the only text is "Alleluia!" — which is repeated throughout syllabically.

Dr. Rocky J. Reuter (b. 1956) composes music for a vast array of acoustic and electronic ensembles in a myriad of styles, using varied and unique techniques. He is the recipient of numerous commissions nationally and internationally, has been recognized with funding from the National Endowment for the Arts, Meet the Composer, Ohio Arts Council Award for Excellence in Composition, and Greater Columbus Arts Council. Recent commissions have come from the Dubuque Symphony Orchestra and the Pi Kappa Lambda National Music Honor Society. His works have previously been featured at the Budapest Autumn Festival, Miscolz Arts Festival, Liszt Academy of Music, Hochschule für Musik in Dresden, Shen Yang Conservatory of Music in China; at international, national, and/or regional conferences of the Society of Composers, Society for Electro-Acoustic Music in the United States, College Music Society, National Association for Music Education, Association for Technology in Music Instruction, and Technology Institute for Music Educators; at state music education conventions in Wisconsin, Indiana, Georgia, and Ohio; and at university and contemporary music events throughout the nation. He has created original works in the electronic studios of the Dresden Hochschule für Musik and the Budapest National Radio at the invitation of the studio directors, and is the co-author of “Electronic Musical Instruments” in the book Technology Guide for Music Educators. Prior to his 30-year tenure as a professor and dean at Capital University Conservatory of Music, he also taught at the schools of music at James Madison University (MME) and The Ohio State University (DMA).

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For more information, see Rocky J. Reuter's Web site at rreuter.wix.com/reutermusic
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Alleluia! (MIDI) • Rocky J. Reuter, Composer

Full Title: Salvador Dalí and Adolph Hitler Eating Peanut Butter and Banana Sandwiches While Sipping Green Tea and Seaweed with with Zombies in Hell.

A new Piano Four Hands piece with two hands (same performer) composed by Rocky J. Reuter and the other two composed by Michael Schelle — using only a pre-determined measure layout and some very basic guidelines — how the parts work together was left entirely to chance, with the two composers working completely independently. 

To be premiered by Judy Reuter and Miho Sasaki, for whom the piece was written, at the 30th Anniversary of NOW MUSIC Festival @ Capital University — Columbus, OH, February 2017.

Salvador Dalí and Adolph Hitler ... with Zombies in Hell • MIDI DRAFT • Reuter/Schelle

This four-movement string quartet — heard here in MIDI draft form — is an homage to Béla Bartók, a composer who significantly influenced my early compositional style. 

Although primarily written in 1982 while I was a doctoral composition student at The Ohio State University under Gregory Proctor, only the first three movements were "completed," with the fourth only begun. Life moved on; it was never read or performed, and MIDI had not yet been invented — so it only existed on paper and in my mind. 

An opportunity came about in 2017 to have it read, so I transferred the existing, meticulously notated hand-written score to the computer, "adjusted" the completed movements from a more mature viewpoint — without changing the initial impetus — and completed the fourth movement.

It's available for premiere by any talented and interested string quartet! Contact me at the following email address: rreuter@capital.edu

Dr. Rocky J. Reuter (b. 1956) composes music for a vast array of acoustic and electronic ensembles in a myriad of styles, using varied and unique techniques. He is the recipient of numerous commissions nationally and internationally, has been recognized with funding from the National Endowment for the Arts, Meet the Composer, Ohio Arts Council Award for Excellence in Composition, and Greater Columbus Arts Council. Recent commissions have come from the Dubuque Symphony Orchestra and the Pi Kappa Lambda National Music Honor Society. His works have previously been featured at the Budapest Autumn Festival, Miscolz Arts Festival, Liszt Academy of Music, Hochschule für Musik in Dresden, Shen Yang Conservatory of Music in China; at international, national, and/or regional conferences of the Society of Composers, Society for Electro-Acoustic Music in the United States, College Music Society, National Association for Music Education, Association for Technology in Music Instruction, and Technology Institute for Music Educators; at state music education conventions in Wisconsin, Indiana, Georgia, and Ohio; and at university and contemporary music events throughout the nation. He has created original works in the electronic studios of the Dresden Hochschule für Musik and the Budapest National Radio at the invitation of the studio directors, and is the co-author of “Electronic Musical Instruments” in the book Technology Guide for Music Educators. Prior to his 30-year tenure as a professor and dean at Capital University Conservatory of Music, he also taught at the schools of music at James Madison University (MME) and The Ohio State University (DMA).

Tiptoeing In Béla's Dreams (MIDI Draft) • Rocky J. Reuter, composer

Premiered on Veteran's Day, November 11, 2017, Where Eagles Fly was commissioned for the 2017-2018 season of the Dubuque Symphony Orchestra by Maestro William Intriligator.

Although I lived in Platteville, Wisconsin, for most of my formative years, I was born in Dubuque. One ever-present feature of Dubuque is the Mississippi River, which flanks the city on its eastern edge and once created historic floods throughout much of the business district. 

In recent years, the great comeback of the American Bald Eagle has provided an amazing experience for Dubuque residents and visitors alike: the adults fly gracefully from the bluffs and the tree-lined waterway - including those at Eagle Point Park - taking up residence even in the winter in areas with open waters that allow them to catch the fish that nourish both them and their offspring.

Capturing the majesty of the eagle, the piece follows the birth and growth of the noble eaglets as they take there first flight - at first shaky and unsure, but they ultimately catch a draft and soar and float high above in the cloud-dappled crisp blue sky.

Inspiration for my compositions comes from many sources, but the ideas behind this work can only be credited to one person: the love of my life, Judy Heiar Reuter. The premiere was also the first time my mother (who has since passed) ever heard my music performed by a professional orchestra, making the moment a deeply personal one for me.

Dr. Rocky J. Reuter (b. 1956) composes music for a vast array of acoustic and electronic ensembles in a myriad of styles, using varied and unique techniques. He is the recipient of numerous commissions nationally and internationally, has been recognized with funding from the National Endowment for the Arts, Meet the Composer, Ohio Arts Council Award for Excellence in Composition, and Greater Columbus Arts Council. Recent commissions have come from the Dubuque Symphony Orchestra and the Pi Kappa Lambda National Music Honor Society. His works have previously been featured at the Budapest Autumn Festival, Miscolz Arts Festival, Liszt Academy of Music, Hochschule für Musik in Dresden, Shen Yang Conservatory of Music in China; at international, national, and/or regional conferences of the Society of Composers, Society for Electro-Acoustic Music in the United States, College Music Society, National Association for Music Education, Association for Technology in Music Instruction, and Technology Institute for Music Educators; at state music education conventions in Wisconsin, Indiana, Georgia, and Ohio; and at university and contemporary music events throughout the nation. He has created original works in the electronic studios of the Dresden Hochschule für Musik and the Budapest National Radio at the invitation of the studio directors, and is the co-author of “Electronic Musical Instruments” in the book Technology Guide for Music Educators. Prior to his 30-year tenure as a professor and dean at Capital University Conservatory of Music, he also taught at the schools of music at James Madison University (MME) and The Ohio State University (DMA).

Where Eagles Fly

Where Eagles Fly (Live) • Rocky J. Reuter, Composer

"One Large Sigh" is how composer Michael Schelle described this piece after hearing it for the first time; and in a way, that is exactly what it is.

For Chorus and Orchestra, this work (composed 2007/premiered April 2007) was commissioned by conductor and hornist Nicholas J. Perrini for the Capital Orchestra in memory of his deceased wife, Nancy Brown Perrini.

The text comes from Mary Elizabeth Frye's poem, "Do Not Stand at My Grave and Weep," one of Nancy's favorite poems. Because it was an unpublished work, several versions existed. The version below was kept in a frame on Nancy's office desk at home and was used in this composition.

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Do not stand at my grave and weep,
I am not there; I do not sleep.
I am in the thousand winds that blow,
I am in the softly falling snow,
I am in the gentle showers of rain.
I am in the fields of ripening grain,
I am in the morning hush
I am in the graceful rush
Of birds in circling flight.
I am the star shine of the night.
I am in the flowers there that bloom.
I am in a very quiet room.
Do not stand at my grave and cry,
I am not there; I did not die.

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According to Wikipedia (see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Do_Not_Stand_at_My_Grave_and_Weep), this is Mary Elizabeth Fry's "definitive version, as published by The Times and The Sunday Times in Frye's obituary, 5 November 2004":

Do not stand at my grave and weep,
I am not there; I do not sleep.
I am a thousand winds that blow,
I am the diamond glints on snow,
I am the sunlight on ripened grain,
I am the gentle autumn rain.
When you awaken in the morning’s hush
I am the swift uplifting rush
Of quiet birds in circled flight.
I am the soft stars that shine at night.
Do not stand at my grave and cry,
I am not here; I did not die.


Dr. Rocky J. Reuter (b. 1956) composes music for a vast array of acoustic and electronic ensembles in a myriad of styles, using varied and unique techniques. He is the recipient of numerous commissions nationally and internationally, has been recognized with funding from the National Endowment for the Arts, Meet the Composer, Ohio Arts Council Award for Excellence in Composition, and Greater Columbus Arts Council. Recent commissions have come from the Dubuque Symphony Orchestra and the Pi Kappa Lambda National Music Honor Society. His works have previously been featured at the Budapest Autumn Festival, Miscolz Arts Festival, Liszt Academy of Music, Hochschule für Musik in Dresden, Shen Yang Conservatory of Music in China; at international, national, and/or regional conferences of the Society of Composers, Society for Electro-Acoustic Music in the United States, College Music Society, National Association for Music Education, Association for Technology in Music Instruction, and Technology Institute for Music Educators; at state music education conventions in Wisconsin, Indiana, Georgia, and Ohio; and at university and contemporary music events throughout the nation. He has created original works in the electronic studios of the Dresden Hochschule für Musik and the Budapest National Radio at the invitation of the studio directors, and is the co-author of “Electronic Musical Instruments” in the book Technology Guide for Music Educators. Prior to his 30-year tenure as a professor and dean at Capital University Conservatory of Music, he also taught at the schools of music at James Madison University (MME) and The Ohio State University (DMA).
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For more information, see Rocky J. Reuter's Web site at rreuter.wix.com/reutermusic
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… I am not there ... • Rocky J. Reuter, composer

...and between the storms i slept...  was completed on March 8, 2013, and premiered by William Boggs and the Capital Orchestra on April 28. It evokes a variety of atmospheric conditions. Designed in three connected parts, the ﬁrst is based on a hot, humid evening in which a storm front rapidly moves in. This crashing storm ends with an abrupt clap of thunder that is followed by gently and continuously falling rain — the kind that induces deep and restful sleep. The slumber is interrupted by another storm front that moves through, though not nearly as threatening as the ﬁrst. Gradually, the brief storm dissipates and a calm rest is restored. The composition evokes the weather that passes over our lakeside home in Lakeside Forest — Westerville, OH. 


Dr. Rocky J. Reuter (b. 1956) composes music for a vast array of acoustic and electronic ensembles in a myriad of styles, using varied and unique techniques. He is the recipient of numerous commissions nationally and internationally, has been recognized with funding from the National Endowment for the Arts, Meet the Composer, Ohio Arts Council Award for Excellence in Composition, and Greater Columbus Arts Council. Recent commissions have come from the Dubuque Symphony Orchestra and the Pi Kappa Lambda National Music Honor Society. His works have previously been featured at the Budapest Autumn Festival, Miscolz Arts Festival, Liszt Academy of Music, Hochschule für Musik in Dresden, Shen Yang Conservatory of Music in China; at international, national, and/or regional conferences of the Society of Composers, Society for Electro-Acoustic Music in the United States, College Music Society, National Association for Music Education, Association for Technology in Music Instruction, and Technology Institute for Music Educators; at state music education conventions in Wisconsin, Indiana, Georgia, and Ohio; and at university and contemporary music events throughout the nation. He has created original works in the electronic studios of the Dresden Hochschule für Musik and the Budapest National Radio at the invitation of the studio directors, and is the co-author of “Electronic Musical Instruments” in the book Technology Guide for Music Educators. Prior to his 30-year tenure as a professor and dean at Capital University Conservatory of Music, he also taught at the schools of music at James Madison University (MME) and The Ohio State University (DMA).

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For more information, see Rocky J. Reuter's Web site at rreuter.wix.com/reutermusic
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... and between the storms i slept ... • Rocky J. Reuter, composer

Dr. Rocky J. Reuter (b. 1956) composes music for a vast array of acoustic and electronic ensembles in a myriad of styles, using varied and unique techniques. He is the recipient of numerous commissions nationally and internationally, has been recognized with funding from the National Endowment for the Arts, Meet the Composer, Ohio Arts Council Award for Excellence in Composition, and Greater Columbus Arts Council. Recent commissions have come from the Dubuque Symphony Orchestra and the Pi Kappa Lambda National Music Honor Society. His works have previously been featured at the Budapest Autumn Festival, Miscolz Arts Festival, Liszt Academy of Music, Hochschule für Musik in Dresden, Shen Yang Conservatory of Music in China; at international, national, and/or regional conferences of the Society of Composers, Society for Electro-Acoustic Music in the United States, College Music Society, National Association for Music Education, Association for Technology in Music Instruction, and Technology Institute for Music Educators; at state music education conventions in Wisconsin, Indiana, Georgia, and Ohio; and at university and contemporary music events throughout the nation. He has created original works in the electronic studios of the Dresden Hochschule für Musik and the Budapest National Radio at the invitation of the studio directors, and is the co-author of “Electronic Musical Instruments” in the book Technology Guide for Music Educators. Prior to his 30-year tenure as a professor and dean at Capital University Conservatory of Music, he also taught at the schools of music at James Madison University (MME) and The Ohio State University (DMA).

For more information about Dr. Rocky J. Reuter, visit his Web site:  rreuter.wix.com/reutermusic

Rocky J. Reuter, Composer

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