February 3rd, 2014

This semester, I had the pleasure of arranging a three-song set for the Deaftones, the mixed a cappella group at Westminster Choir College of Rider University. These arrangements were performed as part of the Mid-Atlantic Quarterfinals of the International Championship of Collegiate A Cappella, and as this was my last year of eligibility in terms of arranging (one must be a student at the school to do so), I was excited to do the honors.

The Deaftones won the competition, and they will advance to the Semifinals on March 29th at Rutgers University.

Mike Chin of A Cappella Blog selected my arrangement of “Pompeii” as one of his picks for Outstanding Arrangement, saying,

“I wrote earlier about making a song your own and highlighting your identity, particularly at the climax of your set, in the last impression you’re leaving on the audience and this was a perfect example of remixing a song to spotlight everything you’ve got. Really lovely subtle weave-in of “No Light, No Light” on the finish. Killer set!”

November 3rd, 2012

Recital Update: I have begun collaborating with the other first-year composition graduate student at Westminster Choir College, Ian Good. We will be putting on a recital together in the spring of 2013 of works that we have composed based on the same text. It will be a nice trial for our own individual masters recitals in the spring of 2014.

Composition Update: I have finished several new works/commissions:

Sidewalk Zoo for the chamber ensemble sync|duo. This work is a duet for marimba and flute, and will likely be recorded onto a CD of new works for percussion and flute by that ensemble. It was commissioned by Daniel Kozlowski, who I have collaborated with before in composing Elisabetta.

In Unum, a work for divisi SATB chorus and piano. Based on the Psalm text that proclaims: “Behold how good and pleasant it is when people dwell together in unity,” In Unum is a highly challenging, rhythmic work that often borrows influence of jazz.

And They That Be Wise, a work based on Daniel 12:3 for a cappella SSAATTBB chorus. This work can be characterized by its frequent modulations and use of unconventional tone color.

O Come, O Come Emmanuel. I was commissioned by Grove Avenue Baptist Church in Richmond, VA to arrange this hymn for a small choral ensemble, to be used in their annual Christmas program. The arrangement will also be available for any other ensemble that wishes to use it, because I wrote it deliberately to be accessible, but still provide a depth of musicality.

The Tide Rises, a setting of the text by Ralph Waldo Emerson for high voice and piano. This work will be premiered by a tenor at Westminster Choir College in the spring of 2013.

Currently working on several projects:

• An orchestration of a Kutless song for Grove Avenue Baptist Church
• A setting of Walt Whitman’s text “Gliding Over All”
• The first movement of a choral/orchestral work…more on that later

Stay tuned for more!

July 10th, 2012

What Can It Mean? for SSAA chorus is now available for purchase from Colla Voce Music. This marks my first published composition, and I couldn’t be more thrilled about their trust in the work.

To visit the work’s place on their website, and for perusal of the score, click here.

I have enrolled at Westminster Choir College in Princeton, NJ to receive an M.M. in Composition.

I’m looking forward to this wonderful new adventure!