Solo Pieces
Between State Lines - Solo Clarinet and Piano, 11:13
Performed by Richard Galbreath
Commissioned by Richard Galbreath, a great friend and wonderful clarinetist, this piece is about our different experiences when visiting each other's home states. The first movement is based on his visit to Colorado for college, and the third movement is based on my experience in Louisiana, that was taken just for fun (and sort-of for composition purposes, but mostly fun).
Seven Shorts in Three Sharps - Solo Cello and Piano, 12:42
A collection of seven musical vignettes that feature each of the seven traditional modes. Each mode is associated with a different mood or idea, putting a spotlight on certain styles or extended techniques. This piece was unofficially commissioned by Mitch Smith, a very, persistent cellist friend of mine.
Wind in the Tops of the Pines - Piano Solo, 2:31
This piece was written for a composition exercise/project after we learned set theory in composition studio. The goal was to write a two-minute piece using two different three-note sets to create a super-set. The two sets I used were 9t2(bass voice), and 145(treble voice), to create 9t1245 or {013478}. I started out keeping the two sets separated, and gradually pulled notes from the "bass set" into the treble voice and visa-versa. This gave me the ability to end on a major chord after having a more minor/dissonant sound for the beginning.
Indian Paintbrush - Violin/Viola Solo, 3:52
Violin
Viola
Castilleja linariaefolia, or Indian Paintbrush, is the Wyoming State flower and the inspiration for this piece. This flower is semi-parasitic, meaning it attaches itself to a host plant and feeds off of the nutrients and water produced by the host plant. However, because of its green stem and the green part of its leaves, it is able to photosynthesize and thus it doesn't kill the host plant. With this in mind, I often used a drone note on an open string to act as the "host plant" while the "Paintbrush" carries the melody on top. This piece was written for the Wyoming Festival call for solo violin works relating to the Grand Teton National Park. Though, it was easy enough to transcribe it to the viola by simply taking it down a fifth.
Lophiiformes - Flute Solo, 4:08-4:35
This was my first project in my Composition Studio. The goal was to write a 3-5 minute solo for flute, clarinet, or saxophone in the style of atonality. Once I had my idea set, the piece reminded me of something mysterious and kinda creepy. Personally, I think the scariest thing in our universe(that we know of) is the bottoms of our own oceans. Lophiiformes(Low-fi-for-mes) is the scientific name of the Angler Fish, a deep sea predator that hunts using a bioluminescent light that comes out of the top of its head. This sharp-toothed carnivore makes an appearance in Finding Nemo. This fish scared the crap out of little 5-year-old me, so in reminiscence of that fear, the piece was named for the Angler Fish.
A Study in Scarlet - Clarinet Solo, 3:03
A short piece in f minor(concert e-flat minor) based upon Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes story, A Study in Scarlet. A fantastic murder mystery with plenty of drama and suspense. It takes advantage of the large range of the clarinet with notes spanning from D-3 to Eb-6, and has a quick 16th note passage that captures the thrill of the chase before the mystery is solved.