| Acoustic - Chamber and Solo » Two Cautionary Tales (2010) - Sop., Bar., and Mixed Chamber Ensemble
  Mvt. 1 - Jim, Who ran away from his Nurse and was eaten by a Lion.
Mvt. 2 - Matilda, Who told Lies, and was Burned to Death
Jim, Matilda,
Who told Lies and was Burned to Death:
Performance May 04, 2010 in Austin, TX Francois Minaux - Flute Chris Whittemore - Clarinet Zack Wilson - Piano Adam Beddell - Percussion, Rachel Shapiro - Violin Alan Richardson - Cello and Amber Alarcon - Sopraano Conducted by Zack Stanton » The Devil's Nine Questions (2008) - Piano Quintet
Performance by The Aeolus Quartet with Kevin Garnica, Piano In 1956, Max Hunter, a traveling salesman from Springfield, Missouri, took his reel-to-reel tape recorder into the backwoods of the Ozark Mountains. Over the course of the next 20 years, he recorded and catalogued over 1600 folk songs as sung by the people who lived in those rugged hills of Southern Missouri and Northern Arkansas. While browsing this collection, I was struck by the beautiful simplicity of the voices of those Missouri and Arkansas folks who shared their talents and recollections with Hunter. However, one song in particular caught my attention. In 1963 Hunter recorded Nancy Philley of Fayetteville, Arkansas singing The Devils Nine Questions. What really intrigued me about this recording was the stark contrast between Philleys pure voice and the dark subject matter of the lyrics. This contrast inspired me to compose this piece, which uses the original folk tune as a melodic cornerstone, and programmatically addresses each of the nine questions and answers. As a native of the Ozarks countryside, this piece took on a special importance for me. In the process of composing this work, I realized that it actually represented many of the feelings I associate with being separated from the people and places that I love. Among these emotions are nostalgia, fear, anger, and longing. » Under the Radar (2008) - Viola Quartet
 In December of 1856, Le Bris mounted his glider on a horse-drawn cart and ordered his driver to speed down a country road into to the wind. Seated atop the Artificial Albatross, Le Bris unhooked the restraining rope and broke free of the cart. However, the unfortunate driver became entangled in the rope and dangled perilously below the glider as it soared 300 feet above the ground. After sailing about 600 feet, Le Briss machine crash-landed in a nearby field. Both Le Bris and the driver escaped without injury and the glider suffered only minor damage. His next attempt however, resulted in severe damage to the Artificial Albatross and a broken leg for Le Bris. Despite this failure and the many that followed, Le Bris never gave up and is now recognized as an important (though eccentric) figure in the development of modern manned flight. From one perspective, Under the Radar is a programmatic portrayal of Le Briss relentless tenacity. Musical textures and ideas build to a feverish intensity over and over, but each one, destined for failure, falls short of reaching a culminating climax. From another perspective though, this piece is about giving violas a chance to play in a style far removed from much of their traditional literature. With Under the Radar I wanted to write something that was the direct opposite of typical viola music. Rather than a slow and somber dirge, I chose to cast the violas into the role of athletic and melodramatic rockstars. » Take This Hammer (2007) - Tuba-Euphonium Quartet
When initially approached about writing for tuba-euphonium quartet, I knew that I wanted to focus on two concepts. First, I wanted to explore the vast, but frequently overlooked, technical and musical capabilities of these instruments. Secondly, I wanted to address the working-class roles that these instruments often occupy and how this character trait could be brought to life in such an ensemble. The work song has been a vital part of African culture for centuries and in many societies, these songs encouraged efficiency and quality of work. However, in the harsh conditions of American plantations these songs took on a different kind of importance. The steady unison rhythms kept any one person from being singled out and severely punished for working slower than the rest. This practice continued on into the middle of the 20th Century in the slave labor conditions of southern U.S. prisons. While many of these songs were used all throughout the workday, the traditional work song Take This Hammer was most often reserved for driving iron spikes during railroad construction. The lyrics below come from a version of the song by Huddie Leadbelly Ledbetter, a prisoner at the Louisiana State Penitentiary in the 1930s.
» Push (2006) - Piano and Percussion Quartet
» Dodgeball (2006) - 2 Piccolos and 2 Flutes
Premiered by the Missouri State University Flute Quartet at the 2006 Missouri Music Educators Conference in Osage Beach, Missouri. » Primas on the Issue of a Cloak (2005) - Choir and Electronics
» Four Scenes from a Suburban Front Yard (2003) - Percussion Ensemble
» Carburetor Tango (2003) - Horn Quartet and Piano
Acoustic - Large Ensemble » Shoshoni Peak (2009) - String Orchestra
In June of 2007, some friends of mine invited me to join them in a trek to the summit of Shoshoni Peak in the Indian Peaks Wilderness. Though I had lived in Colorado for nearly two years at that time, I had yet to attempt what locals would deem a legitimate climb. At nearly 13,000 feet, Shoshoni Peak is a formidable mountain for an inexperienced climber, but I decided that I should take advantage of the opportunity. Mist still shrouded most of Shoshoni when we arrived at Lake Isabelle, though its jagged peak had begun to gleam in the early morning sun. We spent the next four hours traversing vast snow fields that still covered much of the trail that early in the season. Most of the final 500 feet of vertical ascent consisted of loose boulders spotted with splashes of bright green lichen. I still don’t know how I survived the last part of the climb, but when I finally arrived at the summit, I knew it was worth the pain of pushing my body farther than it wanted to go. Perhaps it was the somewhat hallucinogenic effect of the altitude, but looking across the continental divide from that unique perspective was a truly overwhelming experience. » The Garden of Innocence (2008) - Wind Symphony
Premiered by the University of Colorado Wind Symphony, conducted by Brandon Houghtalen This piece was originally inspired by the painting Garden of Earthly Delights (c. 1490) by Hieronymus Bosch, which gives a twisted, and often gruesome, account of the biblical rise and fall of humankind. However, rather than writing a piece that programmatically represents this work of art in its entirety, I chose to focus on Boschs poignant depiction of confronting ones own lost innocence. Through the gradual process of leaving the shelter of unabashed ignorance, man becomes aware of both good and evil.  Recipient of the 2007-2008 George Lynn composition prize. » Ghost Dance Messiah (2005) - Soprano, Strings, Bass Drum, and Computer
» After the Ashes (2005) - Wind Symphony
» First Hundred Years (2004) - Orchestra
Electroacoustic » A Watched Pot (2010) - Teakettle, Mixing Bowls and Electronics
Commissioned by Rosalyn Nasky For tea kettle, six metal mixing bowls and electronics » Ground Round (2010) - Trombone and Electronics
This piece employs live audio processing techniques via the Max/MSP programming language. The included program files can be executed with Max/MSP Runtime, which can be downloaded for free at http://cycling74.com/downloads/ Required equipment: 1 microphone 1 mic stand 1 computer with Max/MSP Runtime installed 1 digital audio interface with at least 1 mic preamp (either usb or firewire) 1 pair of loudspeakers (powerful enough to compete with the live trombone at high dynamic levels) Cables and power supplies to connect and run all of the above items For technical support, feel free to contact me. Program Notes: For the past couple of years, I have had a bit of a fascination with the unique sound of cattle auctioneers in the United States. Their chant presents specific rhythms, pitches and cadences that serve to intensify the auction process and encourage rapid bidding. The end result is a uniquely musical and mesmerizing form of communication. After listening to and watching several auctions, I decided that this could be successfully explored by utilizing the unique voice-like characteristics of the trombone in conjunction with live electronics. After working on this piece for a while, I couldn't help but think of how strange the auction process must be for the cows themselves. Ultimately, this dictated the form of the piece and caused me to produce something more darkly humorous than I had originally intended. Here's one particular narrative that was running through my mind while composing this piece... For as long as you can remember, you've done nothing but chew your cud and moo; sharing your field with dozens of other cows doing exactly the same. Then one fateful morning, you're whisked away to a strange, bustling place where everyone is focused on you for once. Is this your chance to be a star? Should you show them your new tap routine? Was that David Hasselhoff in a cowboy hat over there? Whoa, just play it cool. Ok. Focus. Just do what you do best. Just... Look... Delicious.
Performance Notes: » Sugar Rush (2010) - Fixed Media Digital Audio
Sugar Rush is now part of the 2010 Vox Novus 60X60 International Mix and ICMC's 360 degrees of 60x60. » Fathoms (2009) - Horn and Computer
Premiered by:
» Graffiti Speak (2009) - Interactive Multimedia Installation
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» Paperchase (2009) - Fixed Media Digital Audio
Paper Chase is an extremely condensed depiction of the manic flurry of the creative process. In this case, it is one that ultimately leads to disappointment. Paperchase is now part of the 2009 Vox Novus 60X60 International Mix. » Pastorialis (2008) - Horn and Computer
» Suspended (2007) - Multimedia Installation
» Involution (2005) - Interactive multimedia Installation
» Diaspora (2005) - Piano and Tape
» Mavericks (2004) - Fixed Media Digital Audio for a Theatrical Production
» Wings (2004) - Fixed Media Digital Audio
» Thread (2003) - Film Score
» Locci (2003) - Film Score
» Symbiosis (2003) - Film Score
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Take a look at the score. 
