Music For Orchestra
Three War Sketches
Orchestration: 1.1.1.1.4.2.3.1 timp+2 Harp Str
These three short pieces were written during the first days of the Ukraine War. For Polina was inspired by a famous photo of a grieving mother and her dead 8 year old daughter who had been killed by a bomb. It's a mixture of anger that this happened and grief and compassion for the mother. A Moment For Peace is a short interlude in the hope in those early days of the war that a quick resolution would be found. "Ammunition Not a Ride" was inspired by the bravery shown by President Zelinsky after he was offered to be evacuated from the country by the US shortly after the war broke out and he refused, saying "I need Ammunition, Not A Ride".
Remembering an Irish Mam
Orchestration: 3/Picc.3/EH.3/Bass Clar.3/CB.4.3.3.1 Timp+2 Harp Str
For as long as I can remember, part of a simple tune that my Mum used to sing to be as a very young child was stuck in my head. I never knew what the tune was but would occasionally hear snippets that sounded like something similar and it would activate this ear worm buried deep in my brain. Finally I asked her about it and she was able to identify it as "Whistling Gypsy" by Dublin composer Leo Maguire. It's a popular tune that has been covered by lots of different groups from The Wiggles to The Chieftans. Finally I could hear the entire song! My Mom passed away in 2022 and I listened to this song as a way to remember her at that time. I had wanted to possibly do my own piece based on this song and when the Thalia Symphony asked me to write a piece for them for their concert titled "Old and New", I decided to take this "old" tune and do a new orchestral treatment of it. Each of the themes presented in this piece are based loosely on the Whistling Gypsy theme and the theme itself is presented in full at rehearsal "D".
Light The Beacons!
Orchestration: 1.1.1.1.4.2.3.1 timp+2 Harp Str
A fun concert opener or encore this short piece is fun for the entire orchestra and will immediately get your audiences attention! Originally written as a movie rescore, this is an inspiring piece in the style of a superhero movie main theme.
Meeting Jin
Orchestration: 3/Picc.3/EH.3/Bass Clar.3/CB.6.4.5.1 Timp+4 2 Harp Piano Str (Min 8.8.6.6.4)
In 2008, I met my adopted daughter, Jin Nao Wan, for the first time. Shortly thereafter I wrote a musical piece about the experience. In 2022, I expanded it for a large orchestra setting. Encapsulating both the tragedy of foreign adoption and the joy of getting to know a wonderful addition to our family, the piece has been described by composer William Boston as "A musical triumph!"
Tahoma Dawn
Orchestration: 1.1.1.1.4.2.3.1 timp+2 Harp Str
Mt. Tahoma is the Puyallup name for Mt. Rainier. At 14,410’ it towers over the Seattle landscape and on a clear day can be seen from pretty much any vantage point in the city. Watching the sunrise to the East of the mountain is an incredible thrill and when the light hits the mountain just right the results are spectacular. On a camping trip and awake early one morning, the themes in this piece took hold in the composers head as he watching the sunrise over Mt Tahoma.