Tag Archives: youtube

“Blood Garnet”, performed by Iowa State University Symphony Orchestra

Happy fall! The blog has been quiet but lots of things are currently in the works for the 2018-2019 season.

I’d love to share a recent performance of my first orchestral work, “Blood Garnet”. I wrote this in between my undergraduate and graduate degrees, and while I am still happy with many of the musical ideas, the orchestration itself is very “First Piece for Orchestra”. There’s nothing like hearing your own human-played orchestral music to show you exactly what did and didn’t work, technically speaking!

Regardless, Thomas Cunningham and the orchestra did a lovely job with the piece, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to hear my own orchestral music live.

“I Take These Pills” Premiere

I’ve just posted a new video on my YouTube channel – the premiere of “I Take These Pills”, commissioned and performed by the Urban Playground Chamber Orchestra. This piece is part of the 2016 leg of their nonet commissioning project: “9×9: New Music”.

From the program notes: “Whenever I get to a certain point in building a familiar to close relationship with someone, the topic inevitably surfaces. ‘Well, I have chronic anxiety and depression, so I take these pills to regulate my day-to-day existence in the world.” After Tom Cunningham, (UPCO director and the piece’s commissioner) told me that the commission theme centered around one’s personal take on the concept of “adequacy”, I immediately thought of my daily interaction with depression and anxiety, and by proxy, the medication that is supposed to help.

“I take these pills” is such a direct statement, and one which I say with intent but without drama, without stigma. I find it quite satisfying to express such a significant, yet ordinary part of my life through a piece of my own music.”

New Video (And Therefore, YouTube Channel)

I finally got my hands on the video for Evan Kahn and John Jaworski’s recent performance of my piece, “Five Miniatures”, at San Francisco Conservatory of Music on April 4, 2016. For some reason, I did not previously have a professional YouTube channel (read: one through which I do not watch baby animal videos), so now is as good a time as ever to have one! You can check out the channel here (more videos and playlists to be added in the future).