This is remarkable—the atmosphere created is pensive, but not "creepy"; the sparseness here makes the piece intriguing when so often it could have the opposite effect.

modern classical

I composed this work in January of 2013 for the Mars Hill College Saxophone Quartet. The MHC Sax Quartet premiered it April 20, 2013 during the Mars Hill New Music Festival. 
The hall was in complete darkness. Each performer began playing in a different corner of the concert hall surrounding the audience.  Slowly each performer began moving to the front of the hall. When they played the last chord the lights quickly filled the hall.

Quartet for El Anatsui was inspired by the artwork of the Ghanaian artist, El Anatsui. He creates wonderful sheets of metal, wood and cloth that are hung on walls or stand alone on the floor. Each time one of his sculptures are presented at a museum they are presented differently. Which inspired me to write this piece which can be played differently at every performance.

Mars Hill College Saxophone Quartet
Alan Theisen - Alto
Andrew Jenkins - Alto
Dalton Woody - Tenor
Bradley Smith - Baritone

Quartet For El Anatsui (Open Piece No. 3)

A piece written and performed at Oberlin Conservatory in 1994.  Robert Gross, piano, Marty Regan conducting, and a slew of Oberlin student performers.  This piece was written (before I met my wife) as a love paean to a woman I had met on a new-fangled contraption called the internet.  Her handle was "abuster," hence, moonbeams for abuster.  The piece is neo-Romantic and tonal but was one of the first pieces I ever wrote that I regarded as reasonably well crafted.

moonbeams for abuster

Americana (2013) 
by Buck McDaniel

Workshop Recording
JACK Quartet
September 15, 2013
Drinko Hall
Cleveland State University
Cleveland, Ohio

Americana (2013) - string quartet

Catalog #: SSSRCD0001
Release Date: October 16, 2006
Label: Sweetspot
Format: CD+DVD
Ensemble:: Alarm Will Sound
Notes: percussion credit (glockenspiel) 

(excerpt) Music for Mallet Instruments Voices and Organ

An excerpt from Ponderings on Life, the Universe, and Everything
1. Prelude: Search
2. Constellation

Lyrics:
The starry night sky constellations/windows into explorations  
lead me to search for unknowns/guided by stars
Rain is falling steadily/a melencholy vail
clouds obstruct the veiw/rain is falling steadily
Clouds part away/the moonlight peaks through
giants finally appear/to impart wisdom
The starry night sky/windows open
illuminate/illuminate us
specks of dust

Voice - Jessica Peterson
Electric Piano - Julia Hrenchuk
Vibraphone - Ryan Chapman
Electric Bass - Kade Bush

Recorded on 3/5/14 at Western Oregon University
© 2014 Aural Composting All Rights Reserved

Cover Image:
“To celebrate its 24th year in orbit, the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope has released this beautiful new image of part of NGC 2174, also known as the Monkey Head Nebula.” Credit for the image includes NASA, ESA, and the Hubble Heritage Team (STScI/AURA). 

Ponderings on Life, the Universe, and Everything- 1. Prelude: Search and 2. Constellation

On of a set of seven O Antiphons, to be sung in the lead up to Christmas.

Recorded by Westminster Kantorei, conducted by Amanda Quist.

O Oriens

Title: dredge i
Year: 2024
Performers: Versipel New Music + Byron Asher, Alexandria Smith, Chris Alford

dredge i [violin, cello, clarinet, piano + b. clarinet, trumpet, e. guitar]

Title track from the new Cavalier King Ep, Star Alarm.

Buy on iTunes

Cavalier King - Star Alarm

"Deimos" explores the eerie stillness and distant beauty of Mars’ smaller moon. Written for saxophone quartet, the piece blends cold atmospheric textures with sudden bursts of energy, evoking the quiet orbit of a rocky moon suspended in space. Subtle dissonances and shifting rhythms mirror the unease behind its name—Deimos, the Greek god of terror—while moments of lyricism suggest the haunting isolation of the Martian sky.

Deimos and Phobos- Deimos (Sax Quartet)

"Phobos" captures the chaotic and oppressive presence of Mars’ innermost moon through the dynamic voice of a saxophone quartet. Marked by rapid meter changes and dense harmonic textures, the piece reflects the moon’s unstable orbit and the mythic fear embedded in its name—Phobos, the Greek god of panic and terror. Uneasy rhythms lurch forward unpredictably, while brief lyrical fragments struggle to emerge, evoking the relentless descent of a moon doomed to crash into its planet. 

Deimos and Phobos- Phobos (Sax Quartet)

"Scherzo (Krispy Krunchy)" is a rhythmically unstable, tonally confused snack-fueled spiral into saxophonic mayhem. Think: four saxophones arguing over who finished the last bag of chips—each in a different time signature—while free-falling down a staircase made of tritones. It’s crunchy, it’s crispy, it’s chaotic, and it has zero regard for your tonal expectations. Listener discretion is advised: contains sudden outbursts, irreverent rhythms, and absolutely no nutritional value.

Scherzo for Sax Quartet (aka Krispy Krunchy)

Adagio

Invention for Piano is the first piece I ever completed. This is a midi recording. One day I will work on the score again and make it a little more playable.

Invention for Piano

I composed this piece in the summer of 2012. I had heard a few open instrumentation works by different composers and I felt i should give it at try.

Open Piece No. 1 was premiered by the Central Michigan University New Music Ensemble December 9, 2012 in Mount Pleasant, Michigan. 

I will post the names of each performer when I receive them.  They did a fine job.  

CMU New Music Ensemble:

Mike Romaniak - Electronics
Kevin Keith - Piano
Jennifer Blackwell - Soprano Saxophone
Jenna Veldboom - Alto Saxophone
Nathan Brown - Trombone
Melissa Bialecki - Cello
Kevin Wilson - Double Bass
David Abraham - Percussion
Steve Bott - Percussion

Open Piece No. 1 for any instruments performed by the CMU New Music Ensemble

Warner CD - Steve Reich - Different Trains - III After The War

I am a composer of new music or contemporary classical music whatever name you like or whichever carries the least amount of baggage in your mind. I don't care which term you use but please take a moment to listen to my works.

I currently reside in Gateswood, Alabama with my wife , Cheryl, and our son, Asa. 

I love chamber music. I write lots of it. In fact that is the only music I have written so far. Mainly it's because I've known so many great performers and I've had the opportunity to compose for them.

If you want any scores or have any questions just let me know. 
Hopefully soon I will have more recent works on the site.

Quartet For El Anatsui (Open Piece No. 3)

Everette Minchew

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afrosheenqueen

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