Pierrot Ensemble: Albatross
Albatross is a setting of Chad Crane's poem of the same name for Pierrot ensemble and mezzo-soprano. The piece was written in 2018 for the Oregon Bach Festival Composers' Symposium. I cut this video together using a click track when the piece was selected in 2020 as one of the winners of the Music Now competition for Indiana State University’s Contemporary Music Festival.
I am thrilled with the quality of performers that collaborated on this project, including my cousin, Los Angeles.-based soprano Valerie Larsen, and a group of current and past University of Michigan school of music students.
Valerie Larsen, mezzo-soprano
Justine Sedky, flute
Marco Chen, clarinet
Michael Kropf, violin
Joshua DeVries, cello
Karalyn Schubring, piano
String Quartet: Caricatures
My second string quartet, Caricatures was written for the 2016 Chamber Music Institute at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Its first public performance was given June 10, 2016 by Ion Alexandru Malaimare (Violin I), Kai-Wei Chen (Violin II), Elizabeth Trower (Viola) and Nikita Annenkov (Cello). The piece is loosely based on themes of political satire.
I. Impetuous
II. Cunning
III. Vain
Piano Concerto: Voyagers
My three-movement piano concerto, Voyagers was performed July 12, 2014 by Steinway Artist Dr. Del Parkinson of Boise State University and the Memphis Repertory Orchestra under the direction of William Langley. Please enjoy the full video of the live performance.
I. Allegro ritmico
II. Moderato
III. Allegro moderato - Piu vivo
Song Cycle: Urban Haiku
This song cycle, Urban Haiku was a commission from soprano Elizabeth Tait and was premiered at Utah State University in March of 2014. The poetry is by Nick Manning and the song titles are as follows:
I. The night's smooth blackness
II. Melodic grumbles
III. Standard remodeling
IV. The robin
V. I'm not in the mood
VI. For just a moment
VII. A subtle sparkle
String Quartet: Cognitive Landscape
Cognitive Landscape was written as part of an ongoing collaboration between Arizona State University and the Phoenix Art Museum. The quartet is written in response to Paul Morrison’s painting Cambium (pictured). This performance was given April 23rd, 2015 at the museum.