Orchestra: Three Distance Humors

Three Distance Humors is an orchestration of the final three movements of my piano suite (see playlist below):

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I. Aggressive

II. Introspective

III. Restless

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This orchestration was premiered at Hill Auditorium, Ann Arbor, MI on February 9, 2021 under the direction of Robby Meese.

Piano Suite: Distance Humors

Distance Humors is a six-movement piano suite written as a response to the various emotional and psychological effects of self-isolation and social distancing during the COVID-19 pandemic. Each movement is a representation of one of these effects or "humors" and is based on a particular melodic or harmonic interval, and each was recorded by a different pianist:

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I. Mechanical: Isidora Jovanović Driscoll

II. Detached: Karalyn Schubring

III. Spirited: Brandon Lee

IV. Aggressive: Kaden Larson

V. Introspective: Sara Mitton

VI. Restless, Del Parkinson

Flute Trio: Songs of the Sonoran

This piece was commissioned by the Arizona Flute Society in 2017 and is inspired by four birds native to the Sonoran Desert of southern Arizona: the Cactus Wren, Gambel’s Quail, the Burrowing Owl, and the Greater Roadrunner. The flutes imitate these birds’ distinctive calls at the beginning of each movement before developing them as primary motifs.

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Recorded at the Desert House at the Matthaei Botanical Gardens in Ann Arbor, MI.

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Jordan Smith, Flute 1

Ayana Terauchi, Flute 2

Justine Sedky, Flute 2/Alto Flute

Please help to save endangered species and prevent extinction by making a donation to the Center for Biological Diversity: https://www.biologicaldiversity.org/

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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.

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Valerie Larsen, mezzo-soprano

Justine Sedky, flute

Marco Chen, clarinet

Michael Kropf, violin

Joshua DeVries, cello

Karalyn Schubring, piano

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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.

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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.

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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:

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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. 

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