Music
My Compositions
Here are some selections from my 22+ years of compositional output. I hope you enjoy them. This list will be updated periodically as I get more of my work recorded. Sheet music is also available for some of my pieces.
Electronic & Pop
NAMM 2011 Demo ("Memory", "Moon Dancer" & "Blade's Edge") (2011)
download | recording: Part 1: "Memory"
download | recording: Part 2: "Moon Dancer" and "Blade's Edge"
download | recording: "Blade's Edge" by itself, with different EQ
Both parts of this NAMM Demo were composed to show off the new synths included with Mixcraft Pro Studio 5 at Acoustica's booth for NAMM 2011. The first part of the demo exhibits ME80, Memorymoon (along with its arpeggiator), Dubmaster Liquid Delay (primarily heard on the vocals), and Pianissimo for the piano sound.
The second part of the NAMM 2011 demo features two songs. The first, "Moon Dancer" showcases more of that funky Memorymoon arpeggiator as well as ME80 and Pianissimo. After an ambient transition, "Blade's Edge" is a Blade Runner-esque composition that uses primarily ME80. ME80 is an emulator of the famous Yamaha CS80 synthesizer which Vangelis used in the 80's to create the legendary Blade Runner soundtrack.
Fast Taxi (2010)
download | recording: created as a demo for Acoustica Mixcraft 5
Fool Me Once (2008)
download | recording: created as a demo for Acoustica Mixcraft 4
Music for “Armed and Dangerous” (2006)
download | recording: the background music for a spoof on an Autotrader commercial
Solo & Chamber Music
Baby's Bottom Rag (2001)
download | sheet music | recording: 2001 UWSP Composer's Concert
Film and Game Scores
Star Rangers (iPhone) (2009)
download | recording: Title Theme
download | recording: Song of Defeat
download | recording: Victory Song
Star Rangers is a space shoot'em-up game for the iPhone, and my first break into video game scoring. Unfortunately, I was not well-prepared to do an orchestral score, as the quality of my orchestral sounds is not very good (I'm still saving up for that computer upgrade + multi-thousand dollar orchestral library). This is the first music project I created entirely using Linux and open source software, primarily Rosegarden and Qsynth.
Orchestra and Band
Thumbelina (2006)
download | recording: Dance of the Flower Fairies, Grand Dance and Transformation
download | recording: Frigid Dance of the Snowflakes
download | recording: Dance of the Locusts
download | recording: Dance of the Autumn Leaves
download | recording: Thumbelina's Dance
download | recording: The Tadpoles and the Goldfish
A ballet commissioned by the Monroe-Jackson Dance Theatre of Central Wisconsin. It was performed in the spring of 2007. These excerpts are from the dance rehearsal CD I made with Cakewalk Home Studio 4 and various collected orchestral SoundFont banks.
Piano
Strict on Black (1995, rev. 2008)
download | sheet music | recording: created using Pianissimo
In the style of a folk dance, this song uses only the black keys on the piano. The original 1995 version was very basic, so I took my original themes and structure and re-composed the piece in 2008.
When He Speaks (1999)
download | sheet music | recording: created using Pianissimo
I wrote this song as inspiration for my sister when she was going through a difficult decision in her life. The melody, with it's echoes at different octaves, represents walking with God as He guides a person through life's twists and turns.
The Ponies Are Loose (1988)
download | sheet music | recording: created using Pianissimo
I wrote this rag at age nine, a time when I was obsessed with Scott Joplin. I submitted it to the WMTA composition contest but was degraded by the judge because the piece was “not in ragtime form.” If it's not ragtime form, then neither are The Maple Leaf Rag, The Entertainer and many other Joplin favorites.
Desert Dawn (2007)
download | sheet music | recording: created using Pianissimo
This song makes me feel nostalgic, and I'm not sure why. I can't think of anything in particular that it reminds me of, but there must be something deep in my past that I'm probably ripping off (besides the title).
Prelude #1 in D major (2008)
download | sheet music | recording: created using Pianissimo
An improvisation inspired by the famous C major Prelude by J. S. Bach, with its repeating, almost hypnotic patterns.
Dream (1997)
download | sheet music | recording: created using Pianissimo
Another improvisation.
Sonata K. 556 (2001)
A tongue-in-cheek attempt to compose a sonata in the style of Domenico Scarlatti.
Sonatina #1 in C minor (2005)
A short, easy Sonatina I composed for some of my students.
The Gift (2000)
download | sheet music | recording: created using Pianissimo
When I wrote this song, I didn't really think much of it. My composition professor really liked it, though, so I'm putting it on this page for that reason alone.
